Say Geronimo
by geekinthepink614
Summary: (College!AU) Aria and Bri are sophomores at Titan University. When the girls end up finding a new roommate in Hanji, the stage is set for some epic shenanigans, new relationships, and a very interesting year. (LevixAria, EldxBri, and possibly OluoxPetra)
1. Best Day of My Life

**Author's Note: Obviously, I don't own Attack On Titan or any of it's characters. Also, I wanted to make it known that I'm basing Titan University off of the campus where I went to school simply because it's what I know. Also, with this being an AU, I'm playing around with the characters personalities a bit, Levi's especially. He'll still be fairly stoic but he won't be quite as emotionally stunted.**

 **"Best Day of My Life" belongs to American Authors.**

 **Constructive feedback is always welcome! Thank you so much for reading!**

 _I had a dream so big and loud_

 _I jumped so high I touched the clouds_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

 _I stretched my hands out to the sky_

 _We danced with monsters through the night_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

Aria Foley perched herself on the countertop and began fiddling with her long red hair as she waited for her friend and roommate, Brianna Todd, to finish moving in. The two were starting their sophomore year at Titan University and were settling into their suite in Recon Hall. They had been randomly assigned as roommates in Hall Maria the previous year and quickly found they had a great deal in common. They balanced each other out; Bri's levelheadedness tempered Aria's more impulsive tendencies. Having become great friends, the two decided to remain roommates again this year.

Recon Hall was organized into suites, with three or four bedrooms and two bathrooms in each suite. Each suite also had a living room and small kitchen. Aria glanced down the hall at the three bedrooms, two doors on the side of the hall across from the bathrooms and another door facing the kitchen and living area. She and Bri had claimed the first two bedrooms along the wall and had decided that they would share a bathroom. They had no idea who their new roommate was going to be and, though neither would admit it, they were a little nervous.

 _I'm never gonna look back (Whoa!)_

 _I'm never gonna give it up (No!)_

 _Please don't wake me now (2,3,4...)_

 _Oo-o-o-o-oo_

 _This is gonna be the best day of my life_

 _My li-i-i-ife_

 _Oo-o-o-o-oo_

 _This is gonna be the best day of my life_

 _My li-i-i-ife_

Aria's green eyes snapped to attention as Bri came out of her room carrying her precious bass guitar. Bri stopped as she reached Aria and the two stared at each other for a moment before Bri spoke up, brushing a strand of of her brown hair from her face. "So... You just cleaned the countertop so you could sit on it?"

Aria smiled as Bri made her way over to the couch and started to play. "I think this going to be my spot. Besides, maybe my butt just likes a clean place to rest."

Bri's blue eyes sparkled playfully. "Your butt is just going to make the counter dirty again."

"My butt is insulted that you would even suggest such a thing!"

"Well, at least you have pants on this time."

 _I howled at the moon with friends_

 _And then the sun came crashing in_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

 _But all the possibilities_

 _No limits, just epiphanies_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

 _Wo-o-o-o-o-oh_

The two looked at each other before bursting into laughter. Such was the nature of their friendship; Aria would do something that made no sense, Bri would point out that it made no sense, and Aria would offer a rebuttal that did nothing to justify her reasoning.

Suddenly, the door to the suite was flung open to reveal a woman with long brown hair tied up in a messy ponytail. She looked over her glasses, her brown eyes focusing on Aria and Bri and she let out a squeal before making her way over to the girls. "Hi there! My name's Zoe Hanji and I'll be your roommate this year! Oh, but call me 'Hanji'. Everyone does!"

It took Aria all of a second to recover from the sudden entry before she flung herself off the counter and over to the newcomer. "I'm Aria Foley! It's really nice to meet you!"

Bri made her way over much more calmly and offered her new roommate a small smile. "I'm Brianna Todd, but feel free to call me 'Bri'. Aria always does. And yeah, it's nice to meet you, Hanji."

Hanji squealed again before pulling the two girls into a hug. Aria returned the hug with equal enthusiasm while Bri sighed softly before returning the hug gently. Any concern any of the girls had about their new roommates were put at ease.

 _I'm never gonna look back (Whoa!)_

 _I'm never gonna give it up (No!)_

 _Please don't wake me now_

 _Oo-o-o-o-oo_

 _This is gonna be the best day of my life_

 _My li-i-i-ife_

 _Oo-o-o-o-oo_

 _This is gonna be the best day of my life_

 _My li-i-i-ife_

After helping Hanji unpack, the girls decided to order pizza for dinner. As they ate, Aria looked over at Hanji. "What are you majoring in, Hanji? I don't think you told us yet."

Hanji looked up from her pizza. "I'm a biology major, actually! What about you two?"

Bri spoke up first. "I can see that. You look like the scientist type. I'm a music major myself but I'm minoring in theatre.

Hanji gasped. "Wow! So you act?! That's so cool! What instruments can you play?"

"Well, the bass guitar is my favorite but I can also play the violin, flute, fiddle, ocarina, piano, and tenor saxophone. And no, I don't act. I'm more interested in the technical aspect of theatre. You know, lighting, set design, and all that. Acting is Aria's area of expertise."

Hanji looked over at Aria eagerly.

Aria laughed. "It's true. I've loved performing since I was little. I'm double majoring in theatre and music. I'm not especially talented with instruments like Bri is, but singing is my life. And not to toot my own horn, but my dancing isn't too shabby either."

 _I hear it calling outside my window_

 _I feel it in my soul_

 _The stars were burning so bright_

 _The sun was out 'til midnight_

 _I say we lose control_

Hanji gasped suddenly as if realizing something. "Of course! You were in one of the university's plays last year! I knew I recognized you from somewhere!"

Bri blinked. "I'm surprised you were able to recognise her just from that. Her character didn't even speak and just walked from one side of the stage to the other."

Aria immediately jumped up from her reclaimed spot on the countertop and strode over to the edge of the suite in front of the door. "Oh no, my good woman, you are a fool. For you see, when Aria Foley is on stage, she does not walk... SHE GLIDES!" With that, Aria began to glide dramatically from one side of the suite to the other before settling back down on the counter.

Bri rolled her eyes and laughed along with Hanji before turning to face her. "So yeah, I hope you're ready for a year of this because Aria isn't going to mellow out. Not much, at least."

Hanji's smile grew even wider. "Are you kidding?! This is going to be the most fun I've had yet!"

The girls went to bed happy that night, each of them thinking, ' _This is going to be an interesting year_ '.

 _Oo-o-o-o-oo_

 _This is gonna be the best day of my life_

 _My li-i-i-ife_

 _Oo-o-o-o-oo_

 _This is gonna be the best day of my life_

 _My li-i-i-ife_

 _This is gonna be, this is gonna be, this has gotta be_

 _The best day of my life_

 _Everything is looking up, everybody up now_

 _This is gonna be the best day of my life_

 _My li-i-i-ife_


	2. Blame It On the Girls

**Author's Notes: Wild Levi and Eld appear! 10 points to Hufflepuff!**

 **I wanted to focus more on Eld and Bri in this chapter since the next chapter shifts the focus to Aria and Levi.**

 **Once again, I don't own Attack on Titan, just my OCs.**

 **"Blame It On the Girls" belongs to MIKA.**

 **Happy reading!**

 _He's got looks that books take pages to tell_

 _He's got a face to make you fall on your knees_

 _He's got money in the bank to thank and I guess_

 _You could think he's livin' at ease_

"And I just love the two girls I live with this year! They're so fun and so talented and-"

"Wait a second, Hanji. What year are they?", asked a man with long blonde hair pulled back into a folded bun.

"I _just_ told you a second ago that they were sophomores, Eld. Pay attention. Anyway-"

"Sophomores? Oh dear, I feel sorry for those poor girls. They have no idea what they got themselves into," remarked another man with dirty blonde hair styled in an undercut.

"Shut up, Oluo. Anyway, I know you guys would like them if you met them and-," Hanji's head jerked up as she noticed her roommates walking past. "Wait, that's them right there!" She immediately jumped up from her chair before waving and shouting to the two girls. "Aria! Bri! Come over here a sec!"

 _Like lovers on the open shore (What's the matter?)_

 _When you're sitting there with so much more (What's the matter?)_

 _While you're wondering what the hell to be_

 _Are you wishing you were ugly like me?_

The duo in question looked over at Hanji and walked over. Hanji immediately pulled them both into a hug before hopping excitedly. "I wanted you guys to meet some of my friends! I've been telling them all about you! Everyone, this is Aria and Bri."

Eld spoke up before Hanji could continue. "That's the truth. You two are all she's talked about since she sat down." He gave them a small smile. "I'm Eld, by the way. It's nice to meet you two."

Another man with short brown hair styled into a point near the back of his head spoke next. "My name's Gunther and anyone who can handle Hanji without going insane has my respect."

Hanji pouted. "I'm just enthusiastic about what I like, that's all."

"It's really too soon to tell anyway. Who knows? Maybe they'll run off screaming by Christmas," said Oluo before turning to Aria and Bri. "Name's Oluo."

 _Blame it on the girls who know what to do_

 _Blame it on the boys who keep hitting on you_

 _Blame on your mother for the things she said_

 _Blame in on your father but you know he's dead_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

Eld rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him. Oluo grows on you. Eventually. Maybe. Possibly. Unfortunately, Petra couldn't be here today to elbow him in the ribs when he acts up."

Hanji spoke up again, gesturing to a male with a black undercut and sharp grey eyes, "And the one on the end there is Levi. Figured I'd just introduce him myself since we know he's not going to say anything." Levi shot her an irritated glance before turning his gaze briefly to the two girls and dropping it once again.

Aria smiled. "It's nice to meet all of you! And don't worry about Hanji; Bri's been putting up with me since last year and she's managed just fine. I'm a theatre major myself so I'm used to being around more extreme personalities. At least she's no diva. If she was, we'd have some issues."

Oluo looked over at Bri. "How do you manage dealing with two of them?"

"It's easier than you'd think. They actually keep each other entertained most of the time, so I don't have to do all that much," Bri replied, earning a chuckle from Eld.

Gunther studied Aria for a moment before speaking up. "Aria, I know this going to sound like an odd question but what's your last name?"

Aria raised her eyebrow before answering. "Foley...?"

Gunther thought for a moment before speaking again. "Are you related to that comedian, Allegro Foley, by any chance?"

Aria brightened. "Allegro?! Yeah, he's my big brother! You've heard of him?"

Eld grinned. "Are you kidding? Gunther's probably one of his biggest fanboys. And not the sane kind, either. He'd probably be one of those fans that would foam at the mouth if he every met your brother."

"Shut up! I would not! I just happen to find his humor very relatable...," Gunther protested weakly.

Aria laughed. "Well, I'll let him know you enjoy his routine. He always likes hearing from his fans." She thought for a moment before her eyes widened in realization. "Oh crap, I was supposed to call him after I got out of class! He has to fly out to a show this afternoon!" She turned to go, waving to everyone. "It was really nice to meet all of you! I'll see you guys around!", she exclaimed before running off.

 _Life could be simple but you never fail_

 _To complicate it every single time_

 _You could have children and a wife, a perfect little life_

 _But you blow it on a bottle of wine_

Bri shook her head. "That girl never slows down, not for a second," she mumbled, glancing at the clock on her phone. "I actually have to get going, too. I have another class in Smith Hall that starts soon. To echo my dramatic friend, it really was nice to meet you guys." She turned to leave as well.

Eld stood up. "Hang on a sec, Bri. I actually have a class in Smith Hall, too. I'll walk with you, if that's okay."

Bri blinked in surprise but nodded her head. "Y-Yeah, that's fine with me." She waited for Eld to gather up his things and waved again. A chorus of 'goodbyes' followed the pair as they made their way from the tables outside the student center. Neither spoke a word at first but the silence wasn't an awkward one; it was relaxed, pleasant really.

 _Like a baby you're a stubborn child (What's the matter?)_

 _Always looking for an axe to grind (What's the matter?)_

 _While you're wondering what the hell to do_

 _We were wishing we were lucky like you_

Eld spoke up first, eyes shining with good-natured humor. "Not much of a talker, huh?"

Bri looked up at him, startled. "Huh?! O-Oh no, it's not that. I'm sorry. Between Aria and now Hanji, I don't really get many moments of silence-"

"Relax, I'm just messing with you," Eld chuckled. "Some silence every now and then is a good thing. The only one of my close friends that's silent on a consistent basis is Levi and even then, I think he overdoes it a bit."

"Levi...? He was the one with the black hair, right? I kind of got the vibe that he didn't like us very much."

Eld shook his head. "Don't let that bother you, he's like that with everyone. He doesn't really open up to many people but he's nicer to us than he is to pretty much everyone else."

 _Blame it on the girls who know what to do_

 _Blame it on the boys who keep hitting on you_

 _Blame on your mother for the things she said_

 _Blame in on your father but you know he's dead_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

The two walked further on, conversing about school, life, and random things. Bri learned that Eld, Gunther, and Oluo were also music majors. Eld's instrument of choice was the drums, Oluo's was the guitar, and Gunther was versatile like she was.

"You know that Halloween mini concert thing that the music students put on every year? The guys and I were hoping to play this year. Think you might be interested in jamming with us? We need a singer too, though. None of us can sing to save our lives."

Bri's eyes light up at the idea. "Of course! I'd love to! And as far as a singer goes, I can see if Aria would be interested. I can't make any promises, though. She doesn't really have much confidence in herself."

Eld tilted his head. "Why's that?"

"It's a long story and I don't want to go into it now but it has to do with her ex." Eld nodded. He was curious but didn't press the subject any further. He could tell it was something that upset Bri and he didn't want to spoil their walk. It wasn't every day he met a cute girl that he could talk to so easily. He studied her features a bit more as they reached Smith Hall, trying to be discreet. She really did have a cute little face, especially those blue eyes.

 _He's got looks that books take pages to tell_

 _He's got a face to make you fall on your knees_

 _He's got money in the bank to thank and I guess_

 _You could think he's livin' at ease_

All too soon, however, the pair had reached their destination. Eld continued to walk with Bri until they reached her classroom. "What time does your class end, Bri?"

"Two-thirty."

"Good. So does mine. Meet me here after, okay. I don't know about you, but I was really enjoying our conversation and I'd hate to end it so soon," Eld said.

Bri smiled, a light, barely noticeable pink dusting her face. "Yeah, I'd like that too. I'll see you after class." And with that, she slipped into the classroom with a small smile on her face.

 _Blame it on the girls who know what to do_

 _Blame it on the boys who keep hitting on you_

 _Blame on your mother for the things she said_

 _Blame in on your father but you know he's dead_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 _Blame it on the girls, blame it on the boys_

 **Ending notes: Okay! Chapter two is done! Hopefully I've established Aria and Bri's characters a little more, at least. I'd also really appreciate some feedback regarding the relationships in the story at any point. Are they being rushed? Are they dragging? Please let me know what you think.**

 **A little thing I wanted to note about Bri: I'm basing her appearance off of Eld's canon girlfriend. However, since the anime didn't really leave me with much to go on in terms of personality, I'm taking a few liberties here. Her personality is based off of my close friend Rose. So while Bri is technically an OC, I guess she's sort of a canon character too.**

 **Thank you so much for reading! Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! Geekinthepink, out!**


	3. Mad World

**Author's Notes: Finally, we get a little bit of Levi up in here! And some more roommate/bestie fluff is always fun!**

 **Not sure if I mentioned this before but Levi is an art major in this fic. Something about it just seemed right to me and I've learned to go with my gut on stuff like this.**

 **I do not own Attack on Titan, just my OCs.**

 **"Mad World" belongs to Tears for Fears.**

 **Once again, feedback is always welcome! Thanks for reading!**

Aria and Hanji looked up from their spots on the countertop and couch as Bri entered the room, a small dreamy smile on her face. The two exchanged a look before turning back to their friend.

"Someone certainly looks happy. I'm assuming your walk with Eld went well, then?" Hanji asked.

Bri gave a small nod as her cheeks turned a light pink. "You could say that. I didn't really know what to say when he offered to walk with me but I'm really happy he decided to. Turns out he lives a floor below us with Oluo and Gunther."

"Guess we won't be seeing much of you in the future," said Aria, her eyebrow raised suggestively.

"Oh, shut up. It's not like that," Bri replied, rolling her eyes at her friend. "But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to seeing him again. We're going to hang out tonight."

The simultaneous squeals that erupted from Aria and Hanji were deafening and Bri was fairly certain she may have sprained something when Aria decided to leap from the countertop and tackle her onto the couch. "Don't you think you two are getting a little two excited about this? We're just hanging out. It's not like he asked me to marry him."

Hanji shook her head. "What's that? I can't hear you over the sound of my SHIP SETTING SAIL!" Aria nodded vigorously in agreement, making no move to get up.

Bri sighed, shaking her head, before looking up at Aria. "Eld actually wanted me to ask you about something, Aria. He, Oluo, Gunther, and myself are planning to perform at the unofficial Halloween concert this year. He wants to know if you'd be interested in singing for us."

At this, Aria stiffened and moved off of Bri. She began pacing the room, nervously wringing her hands together. "I-I don't know... I don't know if I'm ready to perform solo yet..."

Hanji blinked and cocked her head to the side as Bri took the opportunity to sit up. "Aria, you've got one of the prettiest voices I've ever heard. Why would you be worried about performing?" asked Hanji.

Bri's expression darkened. "If this has anything to do with Chad-"

"It doesn't! I told you before, Bri, that's over."

Noticing Hanji's confused expression, Bri decided to explain. "Chad was Aria's boyfriend for a while. Most of high school and all of last year, I think," she said, looking over at Aria for confirmation and continuing when Aria nodded. "Personally, I never really liked him but I didn't say anything for a while because he made Aria so happy. Then I saw how badly he treated her."

Hanji looked over to Aria. "What does she mean? He never hit you or anything, did he?!"

Aria shook her head. "No, no, nothing like that. He just wasn't all that supportive..."

Bri cocked an eyebrow. "That's the understatement of the century. He was an emotionally abusive prick who essentially told Aria she'd never be good enough to perform on her own or in any sort of major role. He always made it sound like he was just looking out for her but I think he didn't want her to realize her potential. He was afraid that if she did, she'd realize she could do so much better than him."

"But you two broke up, right?" asked Hanji hopefully.

"Yeah, we did. I realized Bri was right and that if he wasn't going to support me, I didn't need him in my life. So I broke it off," Aria replied. "He has some friends here, though, so I still him around. And recently, he's been bugging me to get back together. It's not going to happen but I still wish he'd just go away. Even though he was a huge ass to me, I still loved him and it's hard to move on when he keeps showing up."

There was silence for a moment before Bri stood and pulled Aria into a hug. "You deserve so much more, though. And I've never been prouder of you than the night you called and told me you'd broken it off with him. And as for the Halloween thing, just give it some thought. You don't have to decide right now. If you honestly don't think you're ready, I won't push you. I just want you to make sure it's a choice _you're_ making, not a choice influenced by Chad."

"I know you didn't ask for my opinion, but it sounds like you did the right thing, Aria. And personally, I'd love to see you perform. As Bri said, though, it's totally your call," added Hanji, who had joined in the hug as well.

The three stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Aria pulled back. "Thanks, you guys. I'm still not really sure but I'll think it over before I make a decision," Aria said. She turned and made her way to the door of the suite. "I think I just need to be by myself for a little bit. I'll be back later. Bri, have fun tonight. Just not too much fun."

Bri flushed a bright crimson as Hanji laughed. "I already told you guys it wasn't like that! What are you, twelve years old?"

Aria smiled and waved to her friends before leaving. She made her way to the school's theatre and, once inside, headed for a stairway leading to the lower level. The lower level of the building was used to teach theatre and music classes when the school was first established, but new buildings had since been built and now the area was all but deserted. The rooms were all soundproofed from the inside so instrument or acting practice could be done without disturbing anyone, but noise from the outside could still be heard. Not many students even knew the area existed, so Aria often used it as a place to disappear. She made her way to her favorite room near the back, leaving the door open to keep the room from getting too stuffy and sitting down on a desk. She thought back to her relationship with Chad and how it had impacted her. His nearly constant put-downs and sarcasm left her doubting her abilities. She knew that and she knew that it was ridiculous for her to allow him to continue influencing her when he was no longer a focus in her life. Even so, she was unable to shake her fear at the thought of taking center stage.

' _It's amazing what one abusive relationship can do to a person,'_ Aria thought to herself. The more she thought about her relationship, the more upset she got. She was angry at him for the way he had treated her, but she was primarily angry with herself for letting it go on for as long as it did. If she hadn't been so desperate to hang on to him, to what she thought was love, she probably would have found the strength to leave much sooner than she did. Maybe then she wouldn't have to contend with this fear. Without thinking about it, Aria began to sing.

" _All around me are familiar faces_

 _Worn out places_

 _Worn out faces_

 _Bright and early for their daily races_

 _Going nowhere_

 _Going nowhere"_

Levi looked up when the singing started. He had been sitting in another abandoned classroom, trying to get an idea for his next project. He'd stumbled across the lower level of the theatre his freshman year and, much like Aria, found it to be a great place to disappear. The dim lighting and sheer emptiness gave it an almost haunted vibe and he tended to visit the area when he needed a source of inspiration. Today, though, nothing seemed to be coming to him. However, something about the voice he heard stirred something in him and drove him to find the source.

He was mildly surprised when he saw that the redhead from earlier was the one singing. He was even more surprised that she was singing such a sad song. His first impression of her had been that she was one of those constantly happy balls of energy, much like Hanji. One Hanji was bad enough; he really wasn't looking forward to having to deal with two. Seeing this side of her now, though, made him wonder how much of that happiness was for show. Levi made no move to reveal himself, choosing instead to lean against the wall just outside the door as Aria continued.

 _"And the tears are filling up their glasses_

 _No expression_

 _No expression_

 _Hide my head, I want to drown my sorrow_

 _No tomorrow_

 _No tomorrow_

 _And I find it kind of funny_

 _I find it kind of sad_

 _The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had_

 _I find it hard to tell you_

 _I find it hard to take_

 _When people run in circles it's a very, very_

 _Mad world, mad world_

 _Mad world, mad world"_

Levi wanted to move away, to go back to the room he'd been in before and try to think of something, but Aria's voice kept him rooted to the spot. Maybe it was the lyrics of the song or maybe it was how genuinely sad she sounded as she sang, but he couldn't bring himself to leave. Suddenly, an idea worked it's way into his head. It was vague but it was a start. He continued to listen in hopes that his starting point would become clearer.

 _"Children waiting for the day they feel good_

 _Happy birthday_

 _Happy birthday_

 _Made to feel the way that every child should_

 _Sit and listen_

 _Sit and listen_

 _Went to school and I was very nervous_

 _No one knew me_

 _No one knew me_

 _Hello teacher, tell me what's my lesson_

 _Look right through me_

 _Look right through me_

 _And I find it kind of funny_

 _I find it kind of sad_

 _The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had_

 _I find it hard to tell you_

 _I find it hard to take_

 _When people run in circles it's a very, very_

 _Mad world, mad world_

 _Mad world, mad world_

 _And I find it kind of funny_

 _I find it kind of sad_

 _The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had_

 _I find it hard to tell you_

 _I find it hard to take_

 _When people run in circles it's a very, very_

 _Mad world, mad world_

 _Enlarge your world, mad world"_

Aria stayed in her place on the desk after finishing the song, her legs drawn up to her chest and her head resting on her knees. If she had noticed Levi at all while she was singing, she didn't make any attempt to acknowledge it. She sat quiet and still with only the rise and fall of her shoulders indicating that she was even breathing.

Upon realizing that she had finished singing and from the looks of it, wasn't going to be singing again anytime soon, Levi pushed himself from his spot against the wall and made his way back to the stairway and out of the building. His starting point had become clearer to him over the course of the song and, since he had what he needed, there wasn't any point to sticking around.

' _Looks like there might be more to you than I thought, Red._ '


	4. Dragonfly

**Author's Notes: Working that development in there!**

 **I don't own Attack on Titan, just the OCs.**

 **"Dragonfly" belongs to The Cruxshadows. Check them out. Seriously. Their music is awesomesauce!**

A couple weeks had passed since the incident under the theatre. The end result of Levi's project had been fantastic but now he was stuck looking for an idea for his next one. He had no idea why he'd been so uninspired of late but it was becoming a serious hindrance. Nothing he usually did to find motivation was working; even visiting the lower level of the theatre did nothing for him. A small part of him had hoped that when he made those visits he would see 'Red' again, but she was never there. Asking her directly for help was the last thing Levi wanted to do but, as much as he hated to admit it, he needed to hear her sing again.

Once again, the group had gathered for lunch and Levi was observing everyone quietly, as he so often did. Hanji was babbling excitedly about something or another with Aria, who was returning the exchange with almost as much enthusiasm, and Gunther, who looked as if he had no clue how he'd been dragged into the conversation. Oluo would occasionally make a snarky comment which, in turn, would be met with either an elbow to the ribs from Petra or an equally snarky comment from Aria. Eld and Bri were absorbed in a conversation of their own. The two of them seemed to be drawing closer to each other recently, which was no surprise considering how alike they were.

Levi noticed Aria glance down at her phone when it lit up. She kept the smile on her face but, upon seeing who the call or text was from, her eyes darkened just a bit. It was a minute, blink-and you-miss-it expression and Levi might have missed it had he not been so accustomed to people watching and reading facial expressions. In fact, the only other person who seemed to notice any sort of change was Bri, who shot Aria a worried glance. Aria responded with a small shake of the head before excusing herself and heading off. Levi glanced up as she left, making note of the direction she was heading in. He'd paid enough attention over the past couple of weeks to remember that she didn't have afternoon classes except for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Considering today was Friday and the direction Aria had been going, she was most likely heading back to Recon Hall.

Levi waited a few moments before getting up himself and leaving with a wave over his shoulder. He needed to talk to Aria before either of her roommates got back. Bri could probably keep her mouth shut if she saw him there, assuming she even asked what he was doing there in the first place, but he knew perfectly well that Hanji couldn't. He didn't need her making up her own theories about why he was there.

Aria glanced up when she heard a knock at the door. Thinking it was Hanji forgetting her keys again, she sighed before getting up and answering the door. She was more than a little surprised when she saw Levi standing there but she kept a smile on her face.

"Levi? Can't say I was expecting to see you here." She thought for a moment before speaking again. "How did you even know where our room was?"

"Hanji," Levi replied simply.

"Ah, that makes sense. Unfortunately, Hanji's not hear right now but I can tell her you needed to see her-"

Levi cut her off. "I'm not here to see Hanji. I need to talk to you."

Aria blinked. Whatever she was expecting him to say, that wasn't it. "Me? How come?" she asked, standing back to let him inside.

Levi didn't say anything for a moment after he walked inside. He could tell Aria was curious, but she didn't press him for anything and he was grateful for that. Finally, he took a breath, swallowed his pride, turned to face her, and said, "I need your help, Red. I have an art project due soon and I'm finding myself without motivation."

"Um... Okay. But how am I supposed to help you?"

"I need you to sing for me."

Aria stared at Levi, unable to process what he'd told her. "Did Bri or Hanji put you up to this? How do you know my singing is going to help you?"

"Because it already has," Levi replied, pulling out a sketchbook and flipping to certain page before handing it to Aria. The sketch showed a large group of what Aria assumed were people with smiling masks on their faces. However, the focus of the picture was a small boy who was in the process of removing his mask. Most of his face was still covered but his left eye was visible as was the small tear falling from it. What drew Aria to the picture was the look of helplessness in the boy's eye and she stared at it for a long time before finally handing the book back to Levi.

"This was just the rough sketch; the one I handed in was much more detailed. But you get the idea," Levi said.

"Levi... That picture's incredible," Aria replied before shaking her head. "Hold on a sec, though. What did that have to do with my singing?"

"The next time you decide to vent your private feelings in an abandoned theatre classroom, you might want to make sure nobody else is around," was all Levi said as he waited for Aria to piece everything together.

"Oh... You heard me, huh?" Aria looked away, not sure what to think. She was torn between being mortified that someone had heard her at all and being almost happy that her voice had inspired someone. Not only that, but it had inspired someone enough to seek it out again.

"So are you going to help me or not, Red?" Levi asked impatiently, snapping Aria out of her thoughts. She took a moment to consider before nodding.

"I will. Do you have any idea what you want this project to focus on? That might help me figure out something to sing."

Levi hesitated before answering. "I wanted to do something focusing on my mother." Aria waited for him to elaborate but Levi remained silent, as if his mother was a subject he didn't want to talk about unless it was necessary.

After mulling a few different songs over in her head, Aria hopped up onto her spot on the countertop. Levi quirked an eyebrow at the behavior but chose not to say anything. He had heard from Hanji that both Bri and Aria had little rituals they'd do before performing; this must have been one of Aria's.

' _No wonder the three of them get along so well,_ ' Levi thought as Aria began to sing.

" _Don't ask me to surrender_

 _Her voice fell tired and spent_

 _My hopes and dreams, a silent heart_

 _I carry here within_

 _Her outstretched wings, left tattered_

 _A sail aged with rust_

 _A breath in time, that's yours and mine_

 _It belongs to only us_

 _And I will write her name and cast it to the sky_

 _Silhouettes recede into a mother's tearful eyes_

 _A host of angels clamor to her side_

 _A light dissolves to kiss the wind_

 _Release the dragonfly_ "

Just like the day under the theatre, Aria's voice stirred something in Levi and, much as before, he had no idea what it was. Another idea was forming in his head and he pulled out his sketchpad, sitting down on the couch and getting to work before the thought left him.

" _See the rose within the field of white_

 _She's searching for the grail_

 _But the rain descends to snatch the light_

 _From distant dying suns_

 _A faint resounding in the night_

 _Calls angels wings to beat_

 _Singing silent lip-sewn songs_

 _But the distance is too deep_

 _And I will write her name and cast it to the sky_

 _Silhouettes recede into a mother's tearful eyes_

 _A host of angels clamor to her side_

 _A light dissolves to kiss the wind_

 _Release the dragonfly_

 _And I will write her name and cast it to the sky_

 _As precious moments will slip away in time_

 _Angels fall from grace, and sometimes heroes die_

 _Tonight, my love, ascend the gates_

 _Release the dragonfly_ "

Aria glanced over to where Levi sat, watching him work. At first, she had honestly thought that Bri or Hanji had somehow talked Levi into getting her to sing for him and somehow ease her out of her performance anxiety. He'd never so much as spoken to her before so it struck as a bit odd that he suddenly needed her help. She had to admit that the thought did irritate her a bit. But now, seeing firsthand that he was telling her the truth, she felt a sense of purpose and elation she hadn't known before. A small smile crossed her face.

" _And I will write her name and cast it to the sky_

 _Silhouettes recede into a mother's tearful eyes_

 _A host of angels clamor to her side_

 _A light dissolves to kiss the wind_

 _Release the dragonfly_

 _And I will write her name and cast it to the sky_

 _As precious moments will slip away in time_

 _Sometimes angels fall, but love will never die_

 _Tonight my soul is something more_

 _Calls the dragonfly_ "

Aria hopped off of the counter as Levi finished the last few strokes of his sketch. She slowly made her way over to him, sitting in the chair across from the couch. "Did you get what you needed?"

Levi looked over the sketch before nodding. "Yeah. This should be perfect."

"I'd like to see the end result, if you don't mind," Aria said hesitantly.

Levi gave her a small smirk. "I think I can arrange that." He looked at the clock on his phone before standing. "By the looks of it, it's about time for your insane roommate to be making her way back here. I rather not get stuck 'talking' her about nothing for hours, so it looks like I've got to shove out."

Aria smiled and nodded, walking to the door with him. Levi was about to reach for the doorknob when he stopped and turned back to her, handing her his phone. Aria looked at him, her brow furrowed in confusion.

He sighed. "Put your number in my phone. Something tells me I'm going to need you to help me out again and I'll need a way to get a hold of you."

"You could always just ask Hanji to tell me," Aria said, feigning innocence.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that," Levi deadpanned.

Aria laughed, adding her number to Levi's contact list before handing the phone back to him. He gave her one last nod before leaving the suite.

' _He's an interesting one, that's for sure._ '

 **Ending notes: Ugh! I really hope Levi and Aria's relationship isn't dragging too much. Aria's got too much baggage to deal with before entering another relationship (I think we covered that much) and Levi isn't someone who gets close to people very quickly, so it's going to take a little bit. But their relationship is going to be so much fun to write!**

 **Before I go, I wanted to let you guys know that I'm thinking of starting a drabble collection for the story. It's mostly just some extra scenes and stuff that I wanted to write but couldn't think of a good place to fit into the main story. Let me know if you guys have any requests for crazy shenanigans you'd like to see!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	5. Sing

**Author's Notes: A big thank you to ForeverAnime123 for your reviews! You're awesome!**

 **I do not own Attack on Titan.**

 **"Sing" belongs to My Chemical Romance and I think it fits perfectly with this chapter.**

 **Happy reading!**

 _Sing it out_

 _Boy, you've got to see what tomorrow brings_

 _Sing it out_

 _Girl, you've got to be what tomorrow needs_

 _For every time that they want to count you out_

 _Use your voice every single time you open up your mouth_

Levi hadn't been kidding when he said he'd be needing Aria's help in the future. He'd asked her to sing for him multiple times over the next few weeks and, each time, the results were phenomenal. During that time, a sort of friendship had formed between the two of them; both were still a bit guarded around each other, but they were more at ease. Initially, their meetings had been almost like a business transaction; Levi would ask her to help him, Aria would sing, and they would go their separate ways. Now the two would hang out together after Aria had finished her song.

Tonight was one such night. After their first meeting, Levi had asked Aria to come to his room whenever he needed her. It turned out Levi lived in Recon Hall as well, on the floor above hers. He lived in a single suite, so there were no roommates around to break either of their concentration. Aria sat on Levi's countertop while Levi sat on the couch, doing work for another class. Neither of them spoke, but it was a comfortable silence. Aria looked around the kitchen and living room, taking in how spotless everything was.

"You know, Levi, you're probably the cleanest art major I've ever met," Aria said, breaking the silence.

"I get that a lot," Levi replied, looking up at her. "Speaking of which, get off my counter."

Aria stuck her tongue out at him but didn't budge. Levi stared back at her, one eyebrow quirked. The staredown continued until Aria began to slide herself back and forth on the countertop. Levi was in front of her before she could register that he'd moved.

"That's it. You just earned yourself a time-out, Red," Levi said, tossing Aria over his shoulder.

"You can't put me in time-out! I'm an adult!"

"Could've fooled me. Besides, you're nineteen. You barely qualify as an adult," Levi deadpanned as he deposited her onto the couch.

Aria rolled her eyes, a smile on her face. Levi's expression didn't change but she could see a hint of amusement in his eyes. This more playful side of Levi was one that surfaced rarely and usually only when he was with Aria. She liked to think that it was a sign that Levi was growing more comfortable with her. The thought gave her a warm feeling; Levi didn't strike her as someone who let his guard down around others very often.

Levi, for his part, was coming to genuinely enjoy Aria's antics and company. The girl was energetic and passionate about what she liked, but she wasn't as overbearing about it as Hanji could sometimes be. It also helped that the two of them had a number of common interests. In fact, he first started to consider her a friend over a discussion about _Sweeney Todd_. Levi was initially surprised that someone as bubbly as Aria would enjoy a play so dark, but she knew quite a bit about it. He remembered comparing the differences between the movie and the stage show and how irritated Aria had been with the film cutting "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd", as it had been her favorite song from the show. She had also expressed irritation at how the relationship between Joanna and Anthony had been portrayed in the film.

"They were given at least a little more depth in the show," she had said. "There was none this 'I've seen you once through a window and now I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth' bullcrap."

He was also pleasantly surprised to find that Aria was the one who kept her suite clean. Levi had assumed it was Bri given how responsible she seemed compared to Aria and Hanji, but Bri herself had admitted that she was terrible at cleaning so she left it to Aria in exchange for cooking. She had also mentioned that Aria was not allowed near the stove or oven; something about setting french fries on fire. Levi made a mental note to ask Aria about that at some point.

It seemed like Aria continued to surprise him at every turn and the strange thing was that he was finding himself enjoying it. He also had to admit, to himself at least, that he didn't keep asking Aria to sing for him just to help him anymore. Though her voice continued to inspire him, he'd also come to enjoy the sound of it as well.

 _Sing it for the boys_

 _Sing it for the girls_

 _Everytime that you lose it sing it for the world_

 _Sing it from the heart_

 _Sing it till you're nuts_

 _Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts_

 _Sing it for the deaf_

 _Sing it for the blind_

 _Sing about everyone that you left behind_

 _Sing it for the world_

 _Sing it for the world_

Levi sat down next to Aria as she righted herself on the couch. "Did you ever find out if your family was coming to Family Weekend this year?" he asked.

Aria nodded. "Yeah. Allegro told me he'd be coming that Saturday. I think he has to fly out for a show on Sunday."

Levi quirked an eyebrow. "Just your brother? Your parents aren't coming?"

Aria laughed. "Well, I'd imagine it would be a bit difficult for them to fly over from Scotland for just a weekend." Seeing Levi's confused expression, she continued. "My brother and I were both born and raised in Scotland and our parents still live in St. Andrews with our grandparents. When Allegro's career as a comedian started to take off, he moved to L.A.."

Levi nodded. "And when did you leave Scotland?"

"When I was fourteen. I knew I wanted to go to school over here and Allegro told me that there were more opportunities in California for a performer," Aria replied.

"What did your parents think?"

Aria sighed. "They weren't thrilled at the idea but they told me the same thing they told Allegro. They said to go with my gut and they'd be proud of me no matter what I did."

"Do you miss them?" Levi asked.

"All the time. But we still get to see them every so often. Allegro and I went back for a few weeks for Christmas last year and I spent most of my summer vacation there. We're going back this Christmas, too," Aria replied.

Levi nodded again. "Well that's something, at least." He paused before continuing. "Don't tell Gunther that your brother's coming in just yet."

"Why not?" Aria asked.

"I'm pretty sure he has a hard-on for him," Levi deadpanned.

 _Sing it out_

 _Boy, they're gonna sell what tomorrow brings_

 _Sing it out_

 _Girl, before they kill what tomorrow means_

 _You've got to make a choice_

 _If the music drowns you out_

 _And raise your voice_

 _Every single time they try to shut your mouth_

Aria couldn't stop the laugh from bubbling up from the bottom of her belly. She curled in on herself, shoulders shaking, and clutched at her stomach in an attempt to keep her sides from hurting.

Levi stared at her. "Calm down, Red. It wasn't that funny."

Slowly, Aria calmed down enough to answer him. "Sorry. It's just that... Well, hearing someone as serious as you say something like that... It just gets to me, I guess. I'm not really used to hearing you make jokes but I'm really happy you feel comfortable enough with me to do it."

Once again, Levi's usual stoic expression remained in place but, this time, Aria could have sworn she saw the corners of his mouth turn up for a second.

 _Sing it for the boys_

 _Sing it for the girls_

 _Everytime that you lose it sing it for the world_

 _Sing it from the heart_

 _Sing it till you're nuts_

 _Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts_

 _Sing it for the deaf_

 _Sing it for the blind_

 _Sing about everyone that you left behind_

 _Sing it for the world_

 _Sing it for the world_

"What about you? Are your parents coming in?" Aria asked. "I was kind of hoping I'd get to meet your mom."

Levi shook his head. "My mother actually died when I was little."

"Oh, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean..."

"Don't worry about it. You didn't know. Besides, she was really sick and in a lot of pain. As hard as it was to lose her, that was probably the best thing for her," Levi said.

"What about your dad?" Aria asked.

"Never knew him. Bastard ran off after he got mom pregnant. My uncle was the one who raised me and I doubt he'd ever come in," Levi replied. "From what I understand, though, I think Farlan and Isabel will be coming by."

Aria tilted her head. "Farlan and Isabel?"

"Yeah. Old friends of mine. I've known them for years and they've been wanting to come check this place out. You should come and hang out with us once your brother leaves. That way Farlan won't ride my ass about being anti-social."

Aria smiled. "I'll be sure to do that."

 _Cleaned-up corporation progress_

 _Dying in the process_

 _Children that can talk about it_

 _Living on the webways_

 _People moving sideways_

 _Sell it till your last days_

 _Buy yourself a motivation_

 _Generation Nothing_

 _Nothing but a dead scene_

 _Product of a white dream_

 _I am not the singer that you wanted_

 _But a dancer_

 _I refuse to answer_

 _Talk about the past, sir_

 _Wrote it for the ones who want to get away_

 _Keep running_

Another comfortable silence settled over the pair for a few moments.

"Have you decided on whether or not you're going to do that Halloween thing with Eld and the others?" Levi asked.

Aria stiffened. "Umm... I'm still not entirely sure."

Levi sighed. "It's already October, Red. You'll have to make a decision soon. What are you so afraid of, anyway?"

"I guess I'm just scared that... I don't know. That people won't like the way I sound, I guess."

Levi stared at her in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me right now? Please tell me you're joking."

Aria shook her head.

Levi resisted the urge to facepalm. "Okay... Let me just ask you this: Do you think you have a good voice?"

Aria looked away nervously. "I-I guess. I mean, people have told me that they think-"

"That wasn't what I asked you, Aria. I want to know what _you_ think," Levi said.

Aria hesitated for a long moment before she finally answered him. "Yes. I do."

"And do you think you have talent?"

"Yes."

"Then who cares what anyone else thinks? Bri's your best friend, right? Do you honestly think she would have asked you to perform if she didn't think you could do it?" Levi asked.

"No. No, she wouldn't," Aria replied.

"And you'll never realize your potential if you keep worrying about what other people are going to think. I've seen how happy you look when you sing, Aria. Even when you're just joking around, it's obvious that performing is your life. If you honestly want to perform, you should. You owe yourself that much," Levi said, crossing his arms. "You've seen firsthand how your voice has inspired me. And I'd bet you anything that you'd do the same for other people, too."

Aria sat there for a long moment, trying to process everything he'd said and sort out her own feelings. Everything Levi had said was true. She knew she had talent and she knew that her voice was amazing. She had always known she'd be great if she performed; that was why she'd decided to dedicate her life to it. Why was she so afraid? Why had she been afraid for so many years? It was easy enough to blame Chad but she knew that he was only part of the problem. He may have been the one to put the idea in her head, but she was the one who left it there to fester and grow into the near-crippling fear it had become.

' _I guess the one that's really been holding me back...is me,_ ' Aria thought. ' _And the only way to shake this fear is prove to myself that I can do this._ '

 _Sing it for the boys_

 _Sing it for the girls_

 _Everytime that you lose it sing it for the world_

 _Sing it from the heart_

 _Sing it till you're nuts_

 _Sing it out for the ones that'll hate your guts_

 _Sing it for the deaf_

 _Sing it for the blind_

 _Sing about everyone that you left behind_

 _Sing it for the world_

 _Sing it for the world_

Aria looked back up at Levi, whose eyes had been trained on her the entire time.

"I'll do it,"she said, her eyes full of resolve.

For the first time since she'd met him, Levi smiled. A true, genuine smile. "Oh, hell yes," was his response.

"I have one condition, though."

"Name it."

"I want you to be there."

Once again, Levi resisted the urge to facepalm. "Of course I'm going to be there, Red. You know I wouldn't miss a chance to hear you sing."

Aria pulled Levi into a quick hug before she could stop herself. She knew Levi wasn't very comfortable with physical contact, but she was so happy that she simply couldn't help it. She felt Levi stiffen but he didn't push her away or make any attempt to get out of the hug. Aria quickly pulled away, her face heating up just a bit. "Ah... Sorry about that. I should probably be heading back to my room though. I need to let Bri know. Hopefully she and the others won't be too upset that I took so long to give them an answer."

"I'm sure they'll just be happy you decided to sing with them," Levi said, standing and pulling her up with him. "Come on. I'll walk you back to your room."

"You don't have to do that, Levi."

"I know. But I'm not sure I trust your dumb ass to make it back there without getting hurt."

Aria smiled, rolling her eyes, before heading out the door with Levi. The walk back to Aria's suite was quiet but comfortable, and all too soon, the pair stood in front of Aria's door. Aria was about to head inside when Levi stopped her.

"I'm proud of you for doing this, Red. You know that, right?"

Aria nodded. "Yeah. I know. And Levi...thank you."

Levi was about to wave it off and tell Aria that she didn't need to thank him, but he was stopped short when she took one of his hands in both of hers.

"Seriously... Thank you," Aria repeated.

Levi nodded, finding himself unable to say anything.

Aria slowly let go of his hand and opened her door. "Goodnight, Levi."

"'Night, Red."

Aria gave him one last smile before going inside and shutting the door. As Levi made his way back to his own room, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about how warm and soft her hands had been against his.

 _Got to see what tomorrow brings_

 _Sing it for the world_

 _Sing it for the world_

 _Girl, you've got to be what tomorrow needs_

 _Sing it for the world_

 _Sing it for the world_


	6. Come With Me Now

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry about the delay on this chapter! I got stuck at a few points before I finally got it the way I wanted it. But hopefully the length will make up for the holdup!**

 **I don't own Attack on Titan.**

 **"Come With Me Now" belongs to Kongos.**

 **"The Islander" belongs to Nightwish.**

* * *

Aria entered her suite that night to find Hanji doing homework on the couch. She smiled at her bespectacled friend before hoisting herself onto the countertop.

"Hey, Hanji. Do you know if Bri's still awake?" Aria asked.

"Actually, Bri's not here," Hanji replied. "She said something about going to dinner with Eld and then heading back to his place for bit. Why? Is everything okay?"

Aria nodded, "Yeah, everything's fine. I just had something I wanted to tell her, but I guess texting her will work." Aria's text to Bri simply read, 'I'll sing.'

The door was thrown open not even ten minutes later and Bri marched her way over to the counter.

"Please tell me you're not messing with me."

Aria shook her head, "Nope. I'm dead serious."

Hanji looked at her roommates, confused, "Wait, what's going on?"

Bri looked over at her, a bright smile on her face, "Aria's going to sing for us, Hanji."

Hanji was across the room in a second, pulling both girls into a hug, "Holy freaking crap, that's awesome! What made you change your mind, Aria?"

"It's kind of a long story," Aria said.

"Give us the short version," Bri replied,

Aria sighed, "Levi made me look at my life and look at my choices."

"Wow, that did absolutely nothing to answer the question. Thank you so much, Aria," Bri deadpanned.

Hanji shook her head, her smile never faltering, "It doesn't matter! You guys are going to be amazing and I can't wait!"

Aria finally managed to struggle free of the hug, looking over to Bri, "I'm sorry it took me so long to give you guys an answer. I hope you all aren't too upset."

"Oh, shut up," Bri replied, breaking free of the hug and lightly punching Aria's shoulder. "I told them as soon as I got that text; every single one of them was thrilled."

"Really?"

Bri sighed, "Damn it, yes. But we've got a fair amount of practicing to do and not much time to do it, so I hope you're ready."

Aria nodded, hopping off the counter, "You got it. I won't let you guys down. I promise."

Bri pulled her phone from her pocket as soon as Aria was out of eyeshot. Hanji tilted her head as Bri scrolled through her contact list, "What are you doing?"

Bri smiled, "I know there's one person who'd be even more excited than we are that Aria's performing. And personally, I think Aria needs a nice surprise." Bri tapped the contact number and waited. She smiled when a voice sounded from the other end, "Hey, it's Bri. I've got some news for you..."

* * *

The next few weeks seemed to fly by, packed as they were with practice in addition to classes. Though Aria's nerves remained ever present, her resolve to perform did not waver. In fact, as the night of the concert drew closer, she grew more excited. She found herself growing a bit more confident with each practice and the constant support she received from the group only served to bolster her further.

Finally, Halloween night arrived. The concert was being held in the university's theatre and had attracted a decent sized crowd. Aria was underneath the theatre with Levi, in the same room where he had first heard her sing.

"Are you still nervous?" Levi asked.

"Yeah. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, though. I figured I'd be throwing up by now," Aria replied.

"Tch. Disgusting," Levi scoffed.

Aria rolled her eyes as she walked over to him. She was grateful that he was there with her. Despite how blunt he often was with her, she found his presence extremely calming; it was comforting and it soothed her. After spending so much time with him over the past couple of months, she was beginning to find his bluntness endearing.

"I really do appreciate you being here tonight, Levi," Aria said, gently nudging his shoulder.

"You say that like you thought I wouldn't be. I promised you, didn't I?" Levi replied, gently flicking her forehead.

"Yeah, you did," Aria smiled, her hand finding Levi's.

As he had the first time she took his hand, Levi was only able to focus on the warmth and softness of Aria's hand. He wasn't one for physical contact in general but he couldn't help but think that if this hand-holding thing became a habit of hers, he wouldn't be opposed to it.

The pair stood together in peaceful silence for a long while, Aria's hand never leaving Levi's.

Aria sighed, "I guess I should get up there. It's probably about time for us to go on."

Levi nodded, "Yeah. Come find me after the show, okay. I have something for you."

"I will. Thank you, Levi," Aria replied, giving his hand a quick squeeze before pulling her own away and walking back up to the backstage hall of the theatre.

* * *

When Aria reached the backstage area, she made her way over to Bri, who was tuning her fiddle.

"You feeling alright?" Bri asked.

Aria nodded, "Yeah. Still nervous, but it's an excited sort of nervous."

Bri smiled, "See? You have nothing to worry about. Just focus on the music once we get out there and it'll be like nothing else exists."

"Speaking of, it's time for us to go on," Gunther chimed in, stepping up to the two girls. Aria and Bri nodded before joining the rest of the group on stage. The curtain had been closed following the previous group's performance to allow everyone time to take their positions.

Aria exchanged one last look with Bri right as the curtain rose. Their first song began with Bri performing on her fiddle, so all Aria needed to do was wait. When she heard her cue, she began to sing.

" _Come with me now_

 _Come with me now_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna take you down_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna show you how_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna take you down_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna show you how_

 _Afraid to lose control_

 _And caught up in this world_

 _I've wasted time, I've wasted breath_

 _I think I've thought myself to death_

 _I was born without this fear_

 _Now only this seems clear_

 _I need to move, I need to fight_

 _I need to lose myself tonight_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna take you down_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna show you how_ "

Bri was absolutely right. From the moment that first note was played, all Aria was able to focus on was the song. It was as if everything else melted away; as though she and her friends performing were all that existed. Her nerves were completely gone, as if they had never existed in the first place.

" _I think with my heart and I move with my head_

 _I open my mouth and it's something I've read_

 _I've stood at this door before, I'm told_

 _But a part of me knows that I'm growing too old_

 _Confused what I thought with something I felt_

 _Confused what I feel with something that's real_

 _I tried to sell my soul last night_

 _Funny, he wouldn't even take a bite_

 _Far away, I heard him say_

 _Don't delay, I heard him say_

 _Far away, I heard him say_

 _Don't delay, I heard him say_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna take you down_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna show you how_ "

Aria continued to stay focused on the music as Bri entered into the fiddle solo of the song. She could vaguely register the sound of people clapping along with Bri's fiddle playing, but it sounded muffled and distant to her. It had been so long since she was able to completely lose herself to the joy of singing. She'd missed it and there was no way in hell she was giving it up again.

" _Afraid to lose control_

 _And caught up in this world_

 _I've wasted time, I've wasted breath_

 _I think I've thought myself to death_

 _I was born without this fear_

 _Now only this seems clear_

 _I need to move, I need to fight_

 _I need to lose myself tonight_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _Whoa, come with me now_

 _I'm gonna take you down_

 _Whoa, come with me now_ "

Aria was quickly jolted back to reality by the sound of applause and cheers from the crowd. She quickly looked over at Bri, who was staring back at her with an 'I-told-you-so' expression. Aria couldn't help the breathless smile that overtook her face and she gave a small wave to the crowd as the group moved into their second and final song.

" _An old man by a seashore at the end of day_

 _Gazes the horizon with seawinds in his face_

 _Tempest-tossed island, seasons all the same_

 _Anchorage unpainted and a ship without a name_

 _Sea without a shore for the banished one unheard_

 _He lightens the beacon light at the end of world_

 _Showing the way, lighting hope in their hearts_

 _The ones on their travels homeward from afar_

 _This is the long-forgotten light at the end of the world_

 _Horizon crying the tears he left behind so long ago_

 _The albatross is flying, making him daydream_

 _The time before he became one of the world's unseen_

 _Princess in the tower, children in the fields_

 _Life gave him it all: an island of the universe_

 _Now his love's a memory, a ghost in the fog_

 _He sets the sails one last time, saying farewell to the world_

 _Anchor to the water, seabed far below_

 _Grass beneath his feet and a smile beneath his brow_

 _This is the long-forgotten light at the end of the world_

 _Horizon crying the tears he left behind so long ago_

 _So long ago_

 _So long ago_

 _This is the long-forgotten light at the end of the world_

 _Horizon crying the tears he left behind so long ago_

 _So long ago_ "

The crowed erupted into applause once again and Aria gave the same ecstatic smile she had before as the group bowed and waved before heading to the lower level.

Bri immediately latched onto Aria once they had made to one of the empty classrooms, "Ari! That was incredible!"

"You really think so?" Aria asked.

"Couldn't you hear them up there, kid? They could've listened to us all night," Oluo chimed in.

Bri couldn't keep herself from smiling as she let go of her friend, "I told you you'd be great, Aria!"

"I'm not going to lie to you, it felt amazing to be on stage again. I can't believe I ever stopped! I can promise you that I won't stop again, Bri," Aria said.

"Good. It'd be an absolute waste if you did," a new voice chimed in. The group turned to see a young man leaning on the doorframe. His slightly messy hair was a bright, vibrant red and his eyes were the same shade of green as Aria's. Upon seeing him, Aria's eyes widened and Gunther looked as if he was trying to hold himself back from dashing over to the man.

Aria was over to the door in a second, "Allegro?! What are you doing here? I thought you had a show tonight."

Allegro quickly pulled his sister into a one-armed hug, "Oh, I canceled it when Bri called and told me about this. What I'd like to know is why you'd perform again without telling your dear big brother." He clutched his free hand to his chest dramatically, "I thought our relationship meant more to you than that."

Aria rolled her eyes before smiling over at Bri and mouthing 'Thank you'. As the rest of the group left the room, Eld literally dragging Gunther out while waving goodbye to the siblings and Bri telling Aria she'd see her back at the suite, Aria turned back to her brother, "It's going to sound stupid but I guess I was just worried that you wouldn't like it. Besides, you said you had a show tonight so I didn't think you'd be able to make it anyway."

"You're right; that does sound stupid," Allegro replied, gently tapping Aria's forehead. "Whether I had a show tonight or I didn't, I still would have liked to know. You know perfectly well that I've been dying to hear you sing on stage again."

Aria sighed, wrapping her arms around her brother, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, broseph."

"No worries, brosis. Just make sure you do from now on," Allegro smiled. "I just wish our parents could've been here tonight. They'd be just as proud of you as I am. I have to ask though; what got you to perform again?"

"Honestly, it turned out a verbal slap in the face from Levi-"

"Levi? Who the hell is Levi?" Allegro asked, protective big brother instinct kicking in.

"Oh relax, it's not like that. He and I are just friends," Aria replied. "Anyway, he made me see that the only person that was holding me back was myself and the only way to really get over my fear was to try singing again."

Allegro gave his sister a deadpan stare, "Aria, I've been telling you that for years."

"Yeah, but you tell me stuff all the time that I think is stupid until I hear it from someone else," Aria replied brightly.

* * *

"Hey Bri, can I ask you something?" Eld asked as the two walked back to Recon Hall. Oluo and Gunther had decided to meet up with Petra to grab something to eat after the show, leaving the pair alone. Despite being a fairly confident person, Eld couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

"Sure, Eld," Bri replied, looking up at him and noting the nervousness in his eyes. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. I just... I wanted to ask you...," He started, stumbling over his words a bit. "I mean, we've been hanging out a lot lately and... I really like you..."

Bri smiled as he trailed off, pulling him down to her height and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek as a light pink dusted her cheeks, "Wanna go out?"

He stared at her for a moment, eyes wide and a pink tinge to his cheeks as well, before lifting her off the ground and swinging her around playfully and pressing his lips to hers. The two broke apart laughing as he answered, "More than anything, babe."

* * *

Aria and Allegro talked for a while longer before he informed her that he needed to leave. Where he had canceled his show to see her sing, he had an early flight to make it to his next one.

"I'll be back for family weekend, though," he had said once they reached his car, hugging her goodbye and kissing the top of her head. "You and I can finish discussing this 'Levi' matter then."

Aria shook her head, laughing softly, "Later, broseph."

"Peace out, brosis," Allegro replied, exchanging a brofist with Aria before driving off.

Aria watched his car disappear before heading off to find Levi, as he had asked her to. She figured he'd be in his room, so she headed there first.

"Hey! I was wondering where you went," Aria said, smiling as he answered the door.

"I was going to find you after the show but Hanji told me that your brother showed up to surprise you. Didn't want to bum-rush your family time," Levi replied. "Come in. I have something for you."

Aria walked into the suite, closing the door behind her, and hopped up onto the counter. Levi had gone into his bedroom as she did so and came out a moment later, holding a piece of paper from his sketchpad.

Aria gasped when he handed her the picture. It was a beautiful colored pencil drawing of her, right down to the green she always incorporated into her outfits. In the drawing she was in the process of removing a mask with a wide, almost manic, smile on its face with one hand and holding a microphone with her free hand. What could be seen of her face behind the mask showed Aria with a smile on her face as well. What made this smile different from the mask's smile, though, was that it was much more subdued. The smile was gentle and genuine and the look in the image's eyes was one of calm and peace.

"Levi... I love it!" Aria exclaimed, carefully setting the picture down before sliding off the counter and pulling him to her, wrapping both arms around his torso.

Levi stiffened at the contact, much as he had when she hugged him before, but still did nothing to push her away or break free of the hug. In fact, after a moment, he hesitantly wrapped his arm around her back as well. A warm feeling began to form in his chest when she looked up at him and smiled. Something in her eyes had changed but he couldn't place what it was.

Aria had looked up at Levi when she felt him return her hug. She smiled, taking in his appearance as if seeing him for the first time. She had always thought that he was handsome but he seemed even more attractive to her now. Men with black hair had always been her preference and she was starting to find herself drawn to his beautiful grey eyes. Her cheeks flushed and she turned her gaze to the ground as she remembered her brother's insinuation from earlier.

' _No no no no no...Please no. I can't be crushing on him now!_ ' Aria thought. She felt his arm tighten its grip just slightly and pull her a little closer, ' _Why do I have to feel so safe with him? Damn it, Allegro! Somehow this is your fault!_ '

After realizing she'd been hugging him for a few minutes, Aria carefully pulled away. She could have sworn she saw a brief flash of disappointment in his eyes when she looked up at him, but it was gone as quickly as it came.

"I should probably be getting back. I'm pretty exhausted," Aria said softly, gathering up the drawing he'd made for her.

Levi nodded, "I figured as much. I've heard performing can take a lot out of a person. Before you go though," Levi stepped up to her again, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and resting his head on top of hers. "I want you to know that I'm proud of you. You showed your true self tonight and I'm hoping you'll do it more often."

The contact was brief and Levi had let go of Aria before she could react. She blinked, trying to process what he'd said to her, "I...I will. Thanks, Levi."

Aria's mind was trained on one thought as she made her way back to her room that night.

' _I have a crush on my best friend..._ '

* * *

 **Ending Notes:** **Wooo! That was a long one! But we're seeing a little more movement with Aria and Levi, so I'm excited about that! And I finally got to introduce Allegro!**

 **Once again, feedback is always appreciated!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	7. Smile

**Author's Notes: I'm not going to lie; this chapter was written solely because I needed some cuteness and because a close friend of mine asked/demanded more Levi/Aria. Enjoy some shameless fluff!**

 **I don't own Attack on Titan.**

 **'Smile' belongs to Uncle Kracker.**

* * *

 _You're better than the best_

 _I'm lucky just to linger in your light_

 _Cooler than the flip-side of my pillow, that's right_

 _Completely unaware_

 _Nothing can compare to where you send me_

 _Lets me know that it's okay_

 _Yeah, it's okay_

 _And the moment when my good times start to fade_

Hanji looked up as Aria walked back into the suite that night. The redhead was completely silent, a rarity for her, as she walked into her room to put down whatever she was holding and walked back into the living room. Hanji was about to congratulate her on the performance when she noticed her friend's distracted and almost worried expression.

"Aria? What is it?" Hanji asked.

Aria looked up. "Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I'm just thinking."

"About what? Is everything okay?"

Aria hesitated before going to sit next to Hanji on the couch. She kept her eyes down, refusing to make eye contact.

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I feel like I'm stuck in a glass case of emotions."

Hanji blinked. "Wow, can you narrow that down for me? I mean, I know you normally go to Bri or Petra with stuff like this but I might be able to help you. I know serious advice isn't my strong point but..."

A small smile crept up on Aria's face. Over the past few months, Aria and Bri had come to view Hanji and Petra the same way they viewed each other: as the sisters they never had. Petra was usually the more responsible of the two and was the most frequent go-to person when the girls had emotional troubles. Hanji, on the other hand, was the one they went to when they needed to blow off steam and have a good time. She was more of a 'Forget about your problems, tinfoil's shiny!' kind of person, and emotional advice wasn't something she was especially skilled at.

"Okay... Well, I... I think I'm starting to...develop feelings for someone," Aria said hesitantly.

Hanji was directly in front of Aria in a flash. "Are you serious?! That's great! Who is it?"

Aria's face flushed a bright pink. "It's... It's Levi."

 _You make me smile like the sun_

 _Fall out of bed_

 _Sing like a bird_

 _Dizzy in my head_

 _Spin like a record_

 _Crazy on a Sunday night_

 _You make me dance like a fool_

 _Forget how to breathe_

 _Shine like gold_

 _Buzz like a bee_

 _Just the thought of you can drive me wild_

 _Oh, you make me smile_

The room was dead quiet for a moment as Hanji simply stared at Aria. The silence was broken by the high-pitched squeal that erupted from the brunette. "Oh my God, I knew it! I've shipped you two since the day I first heard him call you 'Red'. Bri and Eld are already a thing, so that means I'm two for two, baby, two for two!"

Aria sighed. "Hanji, he's my best friend. I don't want things to get awkward."

"Then don't make things awkward," Hanji replied simply. "The only ones who can make your friendship awkward are you two. Just act like you normally would around him. It's a crush, right? As much as I hate to admit it, there's a chance it'll fade on its own."

Aria took a moment to consider before nodding. "I guess you're right. No sense in getting worked up over it. Besides, all it's doing at this point is giving me a headache. I think I just need some sleep. Thanks, Hanji."

"No problem, Aria. Hope you get to feeling better," Hanji said as Aria walked back into her room. ' _Oh yeah, I can totally rock the whole serious advice thing. I really don't hope this crush of hers fades, though; she and Levi would have the cutest, shortest babies ever!_ '

 _Even when you're gone_

 _Somehow you come along_

 _Just like a flower poking through the sidewalk crack_

 _And just like that_

 _You steal away the rain_

 _Yeah, just like that_

Unfortunately, Aria's headache had not improved by the following morning. In fact, it appeared to have gotten worse over the course of the night; it had been an inconvenience at most when Aria came home, but now she felt as if someone had a death grip on her skull.

"I guess you're not feeling any better, huh?" Hanji asked as Aria flopped down next to her. "You haven't even gone for the countertop today."

Aria didn't offer anything more than a noncommittal grunt.

"Do you still want to come and meet everyone for lunch? You haven't eaten anything since before the show last night, right?" She paused, continuing when Aria nodded. "Maybe a little fresh air will do you some good, too."

Aria shook her head. "If it's all the same to you, Hanji, I think I'll just sit this one out. I don't really have much of an appetite and I don't really think bright sunlight is going to help. Say hi to everyone for me, though, okay?"

Hanji nodded. "I will. Feel better, Aria. Text me if you need something," she said before walking out the door.

Aria curled up on the couch to watch a little T.V. and see if she could go back to sleep. She didn't get much last night due to the pain and she imagined that may have been a reason her head felt so much worse now. She stayed in the same position for about twenty minutes before she heard a knock on the door. Groaning, she pushed herself off the couch and was mildly surprised to see Levi when she answered the door.

"Your insane roommate said you weren't feeling well. What's going on?"

Aria sighed. "It's nothing major. I've just had a really bad headache since last night."

"Did you sleep at all?" He blinked when Aria shook her head. Usually, she'd be yapping his ear off by now and he'd be pretending he didn't find it amusing. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he was a little concerned. "Get your keys and come with me."

Aria quirked an eyebrow, but did as he said. "Where are we going?"

"Back to my room. You need to sleep and it'll be quieter there than here, especially once Hanji gets back," Levi replied. "Besides... Lunch was so boring without you there to talk to. So you need to get better."

 _You make me smile like the sun_

 _Fall out of bed_

 _Sing like a bird_

 _Dizzy in my head_

 _Spin like a record_

 _Crazy on a Sunday night_

 _You make me dance like a fool_

 _Forget how to breathe_

 _Shine like gold_

 _Buzz like a bee_

 _Just the thought of you can drive me wild_

 _Oh, you make me smile_

Despite the pain she was in, Aria couldn't help but smile. She gathered up her keys and phone and followed him out, locking the door behind her. Upon reaching and entering Levi's room, she promptly curled up on his couch and closed her eyes, her head resting on the armrest. She opened her eyes again when she felt Levi throw a blanket over her.

"Sleep," Levi ordered.

Aria looked at him for a long moment, considering something, before asking, "Levi? Would you mind... Would you mind laying here with me?" Upon seeing his incredulous expression, she quickly threw in, "J-Just until I fall asleep..."

"Why?" Levi asked, feeling his face heat up.

"I like to cuddle against someone when I'm not feeling well. That might actually be why I had a hard time sleeping last night," Aria replied. "Normally, I'd ask Allegro or Bri but since neither of them are here..."

Levi studied Aria for a moment. Lately, he'd been getting a strange, warm feeling in his chest whenever she was around. After their hugs the previous night, he'd found himself wanting, almost craving, more contact with her. And after one look into those big green eyes, he knew he couldn't say no. "Fine, but only until you fall asleep. Now, move over."

Aria gave him a small smile before lifting up the blanket and moving back so that she was pressed against the back of the couch. She gave Levi enough time to settle next to her before slowly sidling closer to him. "Thank you, Levi. I know you don't really like stuff like this but it means a lot to me."

"Shut up and sleep," Levi ordered again, wrapping his arm around the back of Aria's head. He began running his fingers through her hair, stopping every so often to gently massage her scalp.

Aria sighed happily and closed her eyes, relaxing against him. ' _Hot damn, this feels incredible. I can't believe I haven't turned into a blushing mess yet. Guess I can be thankful for the headache._ ' She giggled softly as his fingers brushed against a ticklish spot on the back of her neck. ' _I'll have to get headaches more often if this is the kind of treatment I get._ '

Aria soon felt herself starting to drift off. A small yawn left her lips before she nuzzled further into Levi's shoulder and, before she knew it, she'd been whisked away to dreamland.

 _Don't know how I lived without you_

 _'Cause every time that I get around you_

 _I see the best of me inside your eyes_

 _You make me smile_

Levi felt Aria's breathing change, becoming deep and even, signaling that she had fallen asleep. He had intended to get up and go back to his room to work so she could nap in peace, but he made the mistake of looking at her sleeping face. She looked so content that he didn't have the heart to move. As he brushed a stray piece of hair from her face, he took a moment to study her face.

' _Soft red hair, pale skin, beautiful green eyes... And those cute pink lips... I could stare at that face all day._ '

Levi was well aware of his growing attraction to Aria. He'd thought she was pretty from the day they met and hearing her sing only increased her attractiveness to him. His crush on her hadn't emerged until he realized how much he enjoyed spending time with her and how genuine she was when she let her guard down. He had initially believed the attraction was due to Aria being one of the only girls he could truly relate to and would fade if he gave it some time. However, all time did was allow his feelings to intensify and her sleeping this close to him was not helping.

His eyes found themselves repeatedly drawn to her lips, parted just slightly as she slept. Without realizing it, his hand removed itself from her hair and came down to gently cup her cheek, carefully stroking it with the pad of his thumb. He began leaning closer to her before he could stop himself. ' _Her skin is so soft. I wonder if her lips are even softer..._ '

Aria stirred, shifting slightly, before sighing in her sleep and nuzzling his shoulder. That was enough to snap Levi out his trance and he mentally slapped himself. ' _It's for the best; I'd probably look like such a creep if she woke up during that._ '

Levi watched her sleep for a while before noticing that his own eyelids were starting to grow heavy. A yawn escaped him as he wrapped an arm around Aria to pull her closer, lightly and briefly pressing his lips to her forehead.

' _Sleep well, Red._ '

 _You make me dance like a fool_

 _Forget how to breathe_

 _Shine like gold_

 _Buzz like a bee_

 _Just the thought of you can drive me wild_

The first thing Aria noticed when she woke was that her headache was completely gone; she wasn't in any pain at all. Slowly, she blinked the sleep out of her eyes, taking a moment to register that she wasn't in her suite. She started slightly when she felt an arm around her waist and warm breath hitting the back of her neck, calming down when she remembered the events leading up to this point. ' _Oh, that's right. I crashed on Levi's couch._ '

She rolled over slowly to face Levi only to find that he was asleep. She marveled at how serene he looked as he slept and she reached up to run her fingers through his raven hair, reveling in how soft it was.

A quick intake of breath sounded from Levi, and Aria quickly pulled her hand away as he stirred. His gunmetal eyes slowly opened and he blinked a few times before he focused on her. He sat up, bringing her with him, and stretched.

"You feeling any better?" he asked.

Aria nodded. "Much better, actually." She paused before hesitantly adding, "Maybe we should spoon like this every time one of us isn't feeling well."

"Can't say I'd be opposed to that. This was probably the best sleep I've ever had," Levi agreed.

"How long were we asleep for, anyway?" Aria asked, stretching a bit herself.

Levi looked out the window, surprised to see that the sun was setting. "Longer than we meant to, apparently." He grabbed her phone off of the small table in front of the couch. "We got back here around one, and it's...holy shit, it's almost seven."

Aria blinked. "And you stayed with me the whole time?"

Levi froze for a split second before relaxing. "Yeah, I guess I did. I ended up falling asleep not long after you did."

 _You make me smile like the sun_

 _Fall out of bed_

 _Sing like a bird_

 _Dizzy in my head_

 _Spin like a record_

 _Crazy on a Sunday night_

 _You make me dance like a fool_

 _Forget how to breathe_

 _Shine like gold_

 _Buzz like a bee_

 _Just the thought of you can drive me wild_

 _Oh, you make me smile_

Aria was about to respond when her stomach growled loudly. "I, uh... I guess I'm hungry," she said sheepishly as her cheeks turned pink.

Levi smirked. "That makes sense. You haven't eaten today." He stood up from the couch, stretching one last time, before turning and pulling her up as well. "Let's get you something to eat before you pass out."

"The cafeteria is closed by now, though," Aria pointed out.

"Yeah, but the bakery isn't. I don't know about you but I could go for a sandwich. And after that we can come back here and watch _Sweeney Todd._ Sound good to you?"

"A sandwich does sound epic right about now," Aria agreed, smiling up at him. "And you know I'm always up for a little Sweeney. Let's go."

 _Oh, you make me smile_

* * *

 **Ending Notes: Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Once again, feedback is always welcome and appreciated!**

 **Also, I'm still taking requests for 'True Days', if there's anything you'd like to see!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	8. Poprocks and Coke

**Author's Note: I still don't own Attack on Titan.**

 **"Poprocks and Coke" belongs to Green Day.**

* * *

 _Wherever you go, you know I'll be there_

 _If you go far, you know I'll be there_

 _I'll go anywhere, so I'll see you there_

The first day of Family Weekend saw Bri making her way to the main entrance of Recon Hall. Eld had asked her to have lunch with him and his parents rather unexpectedly the previous evening. Evidently, he had told them about their relationship and they had asked to meet her. While Bri liked to think of herself as a relatively down to earth person, she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous; she really liked Eld and she wanted to make a good impression. She took a breath, collecting her thoughts.

' _You have nothing to worry about. It's just lunch with Eld's parents. No big deal. You got this. You totally got this..._ '

Bri was snapped out of her thoughts when she caught sight of Levi talking to two people she didn't recognize. One of them was a girl with dark reddish-brown hair tied into two pigtails and the other was a man with light brown, almost bordering on blonde, hair. Levi looked her way as she got closer and was about to say something before Bri beat him to it. "Aria's with her brother. He got here earlier this morning. I think they may have gone to lunch but I can't make any promises."

Levi blinked. "What makes you think I was going to ask you about her?"

"Because the only time you ever initiate a conversation with me is when you want to know where she is," Bri replied with a smirk. She gave the trio a small wave before walking out the door.

"Well, now I'm interested," said the man, looking over at Levi.

"About what?" Levi asked.

"This 'Aria' chick, whoever she is," the man responded.

"What's there to be interested about? She's a friend of mine."

"A friend that you appear to ask after a fair amount, given what that girl just told us," replied the girl. "She must be pretty special to you, huh bro?"

"Shut up, Isabel. It's not like that," Levi snapped.

"The fact that you're getting so defensive about it tells us otherwise, Levi," the man retorted. "I think we should meet her. What do you say, Isabel?"

"Do you even have to ask, Farlan? I wanna meet my future sister!"

Levi sighed. It was going to be a long day.

 _You place the name, you know I'll be there_

 _You name the time, you know I'll be there_

 _I'll go anywhere, so I'll see you there_

"Come on, bro! Let us meet her, pleeeeeeeeease!" Isabel begged once again as the trio sat down for lunch. She and Farlan had been badgering Levi the entire walk to the cafeteria. He vehemently denied that he was interested in Aria as anything more than a friend, but they saw through the act immediately.

"I already told you both that she's with her brother today. I already told her she could come and hang out with us after he left _if_ she felt like it. I'm not going to guilt-trip her just because you two are being nosy brats," Levi said, massaging his temples.

"Better than nothing!" Isabel exclaimed cheerfully. "Can we at least see what she looks like, though? You have to be friends with her on Facebook or something."

Levi sighed, pulling up Facebook on his phone and scrolling through the newsfeed until he found Aria's profile.

"This is Aria," he said simply, handing off the phone to Isabel.

Isabel studied the profile on the screen for moment as Farlan leaned over to take a look as well. "She's, like, really pretty, bro."

Farlan nodded. "No kidding. You've got good taste, Levi."

"Why do you guys sound so surprised?"

 _I don't care if you don't mind_

 _I'll be there, not far behind_

 _I will dare, keep in mind_

 _I'll be there for you_

Meanwhile, Aria was at the bakery with her brother, having a conversation with Gunther and Oluo. She had seen her friends walking by and waved them over, inviting them to eat lunch with her and Allegro.

"Okay, so I have a question for you two," said Oluo, looking over at the siblings.

"Shoot," Allegro replied, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Aria mentioned that you two were born and raised in Scotland, but neither of you have an accent. What's that about?"

Allegro smiled. "We get that a lot, actually. Truth is, we do have accents but we've lived in the States long enough that they aren't terribly obvious. They do flare up from time to time, though. I know Aria's will flare up whenever she's really angry or excited. Mine typically pops back up when I'm drunk, so I imagine hers would as well."

"I know you lived in L.A. when you first came here. What made you decide to move to Chicago?" Gunther asked.

"There were a number of reasons, I guess. The comedy scene isn't half bad. But the biggest reason was the heat," Allegro replied.

"The heat?"

Aria nodded. "That was the only thing he really complained about when he lived in L.A.. I doubt I could've adjusted to the heat out there, either."

"That and the fact that us redheads burn almost as soon as we step outside on a hot sunny day. Seriously, it's like we need a bottle of SPF a million if we want to do anything outdoors," Allegro threw in, earning some laughs from the group.

"I'm not gonna lie," Oluo said, looking over at Aria. "When I first met you, I was pretty convinced that you were a vampire."

Aria rolled her eyes. "You and Hanji both. For about a month, every time I'd go to open the fridge door, she'd yell 'Don't open that! You'll kill yourself!'. I still have no clue if she was kidding or not."

 _Where there's the truth, you know I'll be there_

 _Amongst the lies, you know I'll be there_

 _I'll go anywhere, so I'll see you there_

The four talked well into the evening until Allegro announced he had to leave. He had an early flight the next morning and had to get home to sleep and make sure everything was ready.

"I like your friends, brosis. Even that big guy once he stopped staring at me like a creeper. It's nice to know you have people here to keep you grounded; I'm sure Bri was finding it a bit overwhelming," Allegro commented as the pair walked to his car.

Aria smiled. "I'm glad you were able to meet some of them. Hopefully, we'll be able to get you back here to meet the rest."

"I'd like that. They seem like good people," Allegro agreed, smiling back and pulling his sister into a hug. "Well brosis, as much as I hate to cut this short, I've got to head home."

"No worries, broseph. Just be sure to slay at that show, okay?" Aria said, returning the hug.

"You got it. I'll see you soon," Allegro replied, exchanging a brofist with Aria before getting into his car and driving off.

 _I don't care if you don't mind_

 _I'll be there, not far behind_

 _I will dare, keep in mind_

 _I'll be there for you_

Aria sighed once her brother's car was out of sight. She had wished he could have stayed a little longer but she understood that he was busy. She began to walk back to Recon Hall when a thought struck her. She remembered Levi mentioning her coming to hang out with him and his friends. She sent him a quick text asking where he was and if they were still up for hanging out for a while.

His response was almost immediate. 'We're in my room. And yes, please, get your ass up here. They've been bugging me to meet you all day.'

Aria felt her face heat up when she read his text. 'You told your friends about me?'

Levi's response wasn't as quick this time and Aria had already reached Levi's floor by the time she received it. She laughed as she read the text. 'No. Bri told my friends about you. I was hoping to wait until I knew for sure if you wanted to stop over or not. And now they won't shut up about it.'

'No worries. I'll be there in a sec.'

 _If you should fall, you know I'll be there_

 _To catch the call, you know I'll be there_

 _I'll go anywhere, so I'll see you there_

"Okay guys, Aria said she's on her-" Levi was cut off by a knock on the door. He stood to answer it, but Isabel bolted to the door and threw it open to reveal the redhead in question.

"Hi! You must be Aria! My name's Isabel! It's nice to finally meet you!" Isabel exclaimed quickly, grabbing Aria's wrist and pulling her inside, leading her over to the couch.

"It's nice to meet you too, Isabel," Aria replied, smiling back and sitting down between Isabel and Levi.

"Sorry about Isabel's enthusiasm, but she's been dying to meet you since this morning," Farlan said. "We both have, to be honest. It's not too often Levi gets close to someone. Especially someone of the opposite sex."

"Shut up, Farlan," Levi said with yet another exasperated sigh.

Isabel laughed before looking back at Aria. "Anyway, we were going to order some pizza and watch _The Hangover_ , if you're up for it."

"Hell yeah! I haven't seen that movie in forever!" Aria replied happily.

Neither Farlan nor Isabel missed the way Levi began to subtly play with Aria's hair about midway through the movie, nor did they miss the equally subtle way Aria began moving closer to Levi over the course of the film. The two exchanged an amused look after seeing Aria drop her head onto Levi's shoulder and Levi do nothing to pull away from her, silently agreeing to talk to him once Aria had left.

 _I don't care if you don't mind_

 _I'll be there, not far behind_

 _I will dare, keep in mind_

 _I don't care_

 _I'll be there for you_

 _I'll be there for you_

The rest of the evening went over rather well. Isabel had latched onto Aria rather quickly and two had been chatting rather animatedly after the movie. Farlan would occasionally throw in his two cents as well, though he wasn't quite as animated. The fact that the three of them got along so well caused that same warm sensation to bubble up in Levi's chest, but he still hadn't figured out what it meant.

Aria stood up and stretched, barely suppressing a yawn. "Well, guys, I think I'm going to have to turn in for the night. It's been a really long day. Come and see me before you leave though, okay? I have a ton of homework to do, so I should be in my room most of the day."

Isabel stood up as well, pulling Aria into a hug. "Awww, okay. But I really hope we get to see you again, sis!"

"Seriously, this was a lot of fun," Farlan added. "We should hang out again next time Isabel and I come to visit."

Aria nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me! It was really nice to meet you guys!" She walked over to Levi, pulling him into a hug as well. There was no stopping the smile or blush on her face when she felt Levi's arms around her back, holding her for a moment before letting go and walking to the door with her.

"Night, Red," Levi said, gently ruffling her hair.

"Night, Levi," Aria replied as she walked out the door.

Isabel barely waited for Levi to sit back down before starting in. "You like her. Don't even try to deny it, bro, I know you do."

"I already told both of you that we're just friends. Why is it so hard for you to believe that?" Levi asked.

"We'd believe you if you didn't lie to us," Farlan replied, rolling his eyes. "Just because you two are only friends now doesn't mean you don't want something more."

"What makes you think I want anything like that?"

"The fact that you were playing with her hair for most of the movie, for one," Farlan said. "And the fact that you did nothing to move away from her when she dropped her head onto your shoulder."

"So?" Levi asked dismissively.

"So...it's no secret that you don't like physical contact, bro," Isabel responded. "You've beaten the hell out of people for so much as touching your arm. But tonight, you let Aria lay her head on your shoulder _and_ not only let her hug you, but returned it as well."

Levi was silent for a while, unable to come up with a response. Finally he sighed and looked away, a light pink dusting his face. "Fine. I... I like Aria. A lot. Are you happy now?"

Isabel let out a squeal that could have easily rivaled Hanji's. "Yes! Bro, this is great! I was so convinced you were gonna die alone!"

Farlan smiled at Isabel's antics before turning his gaze back to Levi. "In all seriousness, though, Aria seems like a pretty cool person. If you don't say something to her, someone else will snatch her up."

"And then I'll never get my big sister!" Isabel wailed.

"You guys honestly think I have a chance with her?" Levi asked. "She's so much better with people, though. She could probably be with whoever she wanted."

"And yet, she frequently chooses to spend her time with you," Farlan said. "And given how cozy the two of you were getting tonight, I'd say yeah, you've got a pretty good shot."

Levi went to bed that night considering Farlan's advice. Now that he thought about it, he was the only guy that Aria ever spent a significant amount of time with one-on-one. And, while he'd seen her hug Bri, Hanji, and Petra, she didn't initiate them with any male besides him. He was damn sure she hadn't cuddled with any other men, at least not since the breakup.

' _Maybe I really do have a chance_ ,' Levi thought.

 _I'll be there for you_

* * *

 **Ending Notes: I was so excited to finally get Farlan and Isabel in there! I loved ACWNR so much!**

 **Originally, I was going to have the university located in California but then I realized that I really wanted to do some scenes/drabbles in cold, snowy weather, so we have now landed in Illinois. I just wanted to clear that up in case anyone was confused.**

 **Thank you all for reading and, as always, feedback is welcome and appreciated!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	9. Plant Life

**Author's Note: I do not own Attack on Titan.**

 **"Plant Life" and "Enchanted" belong to Owl City.**

 **As always, feedback and reviews are appreciated! Happy reading!**

* * *

"Ugh, Thanksgiving break was way too short," Hanji complained as she, Aria, and Bri brought their food over to the table and sat down with the rest of the group.

"I know, right?" Aria replied. "And we only have a week and a half to get ready for finals."

"I don't know why you two are acting so surprised," Bri retorted, sharing a quick kiss with Eld as she sat down. "This is how it is every year. At least you didn't have to spend the entire break writing a 12-page paper on the War of Austrian Succession."

"That's what you get for taking Shadis' history class," Gunther chimed in. "Everyone knows the man's a sadist."

"Everyone except Bri, apparently," Oluo added, earning a chuckle and brofist from Aria.

"Don't act so smug, Aria," Bri said, looking over at her friend. "I know perfectly well that the only reason you decided not to take his class next semester is because Levi warned you ahead of time."

Aria shrugged, sending Bri a smile. "Sue me for being well informed."

"Speaking of Levi, does anyone know where he is?" Petra asked. "It's not like him to miss dinner with everyone."

"Especially not with his favorite redhead here," Hanji agreed, smiling when Aria's face flushed a bright pink.

"I'm not his favorite...," Aria protested softly, turning her head away.

"Except for the whole part where you totally are," Oluo replied.

"No, no, Oluo, she's right," Eld said. "She's not his favorite redhead. She's his favorite _person_."

Aria quickly pulled out her phone in an effort to ignore the heat in her face. Upon unlocking the phone, she saw she had a text from Levi. ' _Speak of the devil,_ ' she thought as she read the text. She looked up at everyone after responding and setting her phone back down.

"Levi's not going to be here tonight. Says he's not feeling well," Aria informed the group, concern lacing her voice.

"Hope he hasn't caught that bug that's been going around campus," Bri said. "Even he's not completely immune to the flu, no matter how clean he is."

Eld nodded. "It could be that stress from finals is getting to him, too. That'll make him even more likely to get sick."

After finishing her food and exchanging a few more texts with Levi, Aria stood up. "Well, I'm going to grab a few to-go cups of soup to take over to Levi. I want to make sure he's doing okay. Later, guys."

Hanji sighed after Aria had left. "The two of them really just need to hurry up and kiss already."

Gunther nodded. "Seriously. The attraction's so obvious that I don't see how they could miss it."

Bri shook her head. "I don't think it's that simple, at least on Aria's end. She's got some pretty serious trust issues she has to work through. She got out of a bad relationship not terribly long ago; I doubt she's going to be quick to jump into another one."

"Pssh, she and Levi are more or less inseparable," Oluo scoffed. "Why would she have any issue trusting him?"

"Trusting someone as a friend and trusting someone as a lover are two completely different things, Oluo," Eld responded.

As the remainder of the group continued on with dinner, Bri couldn't help but notice the forlorn look in Petra's eyes.

* * *

Levi couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this bad. He'd had a headache and had been sneezing and achy from the time he woke up, but he had shrugged it off and gone about his day as usual. Unfortunately, this appeared to have made his condition even worse and now he barely wanted to move. He shot a glare at the door when he heard someone knocking and reluctantly got up to go answer it.

His glare melted away when he saw Aria standing in the doorway, smiling at him with an adorable flush on her cheeks from the cold and some stray snowflakes in her hair. When he glanced down at her gloved hand, he noticed that she was carrying a small bag. He returned her smile with a small one of his own before standing aside to let her come in. He couldn't deny that he felt a little bit better just by seeing her.

"I just wanted to check up on you since I missed you at dinner tonight," Aria said, setting the bag down on the counter and emptying it. "I brought you a few cups of soup. They had a bunch of different kinds and I wasn't sure what you'd like, but I'll eat whatever you don't want."

"What kinds did you get?" Levi asked.

"Ummm...," Aria thought for a moment before answering and pulling a bottle of medicine out of the bag as well. "Chicken noodle, vegetable, tomato basil, and French onion. I also brought you some cold medicine. Tastes awful, but it works."

"Thanks," Levi said, picking up one of the cups and the plastic spoon that came with it. "But you know you didn't have to do all this for me."

Aria shrugged. "I know. I wanted to. Now eat and take some of that medicine, okay."

The pair sat in comfortable silence as Levi went through two of the four cups Aria had brought to him, Aria gently running her fingers through Levi's hair, much like he had done for her when she was struck with a bad headache. After he'd eaten his fill, Aria put the rest of the soup away for him to eat later and brought the medicine over to him.

"Fair warning; this stuff is probably going to make you a little drowsy. Then again, a little extra sleep would probably be good for you," Aria said.

"Sounds good to me. I'm tired as hell already," Levi replied, taking some of the medicine before setting the cap down with a look of disgust on his face. "Damn, you weren't kidding. That stuff tastes like shit."

Aria smiled. "I know, but it gets the job done. Trust me, you'll feel right as rain by tomorrow." She stood up and stretched. "I bet you want to get some rest, though, so I'll get out of your hair."

Levi reached out and grabbed Aria's hand before she could turn to leave. He looked down and turned his head, hoping to hide the color in his cheeks. "Aria... Do you remember what I did for you when you didn't feel well?"

Aria nodded, her cheeks coloring at the memory as well. "Y-You mean when we...cuddled? Y-Yeah, I remember."

"Could we... I mean... Would you mind... shit.," Levi mumbled, unable to put his request to words.

Aria's face flushed even darker as she picked up on what he was asking. "I don't mind at all, Levi," she said, smiling reassuringly at him.

Levi nodded, relieved that she was able to figure out what he wanted; he didn't think he'd have been able to ask her without coming off as insanely creepy. He stood up as well, keeping hold of Aria's hand, and led her to his bedroom. He immediately climbed in, holding the blanket up for her to join him.

"Are you sure about this, Levi? You told me before that you hated the idea of sharing a bed with someone else," Aria pointed out, color never leaving her cheeks.

Levi rolled his eyes. "First of all, this isn't a normal situation; I'm sick and I need attention, dammit. Second, you're not just 'someone else' to me," he explained, tensing and mentally slapping himself when he realized what he'd said.

Aria's eyes widened. "Wha-What am I to you, then?"

"You're... You're my Aria," Levi replied. "Now are you going to cuddle me or not?"

Aria smiled, nodded, and climbed into the bed. As soon as she settled down, Levi rested his head against her shoulder.

"Sing to me," he demanded drowsily.

"What? Why?" Aria asked.

"Because it'll make me feel better," Levi answered.

Aria sighed, a soft smile still on her face, as she wound an arm around to the back of Levi's head. She began to sing as she gently massaged his scalp and the nape of his neck.

" _I saw a ghost on the stairs_

 _And sheets on the tables and chairs_

 _The silverware swam with the sharks in the sink_

 _Even so, I don't know what to think_

 _I've been longing for_

 _Daisies to push through the floor_

 _And I wish that plant life would grow all around me_

 _So I won't feel dead anymore_

 _So I won't feel dead anymore_

 _I saw a bear in the den_

 _Reading my textbooks again_

 _Bats flowed like traffic as poured from the attic_

 _Heaven knows, I could really use a friend_ "

Levi couldn't stop the small smile that formed on his face as Aria sang. He absolutely loved the sound of her voice and the fact that he was the only person that she sang for on a regular basis made his heart beat just a bit quicker.

" _I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest_

 _The trees keep the tempo and they sway in time_

 _Quartet of crickets chime in for the chorus_

 _If I were to pluck on your heartstrings, would you strum on mine?_

 _I've been longing for_

 _Daisies to push through the floor_

 _And I wish that plant life would grow all around me_

 _So I won't feel dead anymore_

 _So I won't feel dead anymore_ "

' _Her voice really is as beautiful as she is_ ,' Levi thought as he nuzzled her shoulder, moving just a bit closer to allow her better access to his scalp.

" _Your spirit is sweet, so pull off your sheet_

 _And give me a ghost of a smile_

 _Show me your teeth, 'cause you're a teddy beneath_

 _So just grin and bear it a while_

 _Just grin and bear it a while_

 _I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest_

 _The trees keep the tempo and they sway in time_

 _Quartet of crickets chime in for the chorus_

 _If I were to pluck on your heartstrings, would you strum on mine?_

 _Tonight I'm busting out_

 _Of this old haunted house_

 _'Cause I'm sick of waiting for_

 _All the spider webs to grow all around me_

 _'Cause I don't feel dead anymore_

 _And I'm not afraid anymore_ "

The sound of Aria's voice combined with her sweet natural scent and her fingers on his scalp and neck caused Levi's eyelids to begin to droop. He fought to stay awake to the end of the song but ended up drifting off.

" _I'd rather waltz than just walk through the forest_

 _The trees keep the tempo and they sway in time_

 _Quartet of crickets chime in for the chorus_

 _If I were to pluck on your heartstrings, would you strum on mine?_

 _If I were to pluck on your heartstrings, would you strum on mine?_ "

Aria glanced down at Levi as she finished her song, smiling when she realized he had fallen asleep. She carefully moved toward to edge of the bed, trying to leave without waking him. She was just about to sit up and get off the bed when a hand reached out and grasped her wrist.

"Where do you think you're going?" Levi asked sleepily.

Aria blinked, wide-eyed." I, um, I thought you were asleep so I was going to go back to my room and let you rest." Noticing the disappointment in his eyes, Aria quickly asked, "Why? Did you want me to stay?"

Levi was silent, only offering a nod as an answer. Aria giggled and rolled her eyes playfully before scooting herself back towards Levi, laying on her side to face him.

"I think you owe me another song for waking me up," Levi said with a playful smirk.

"What?! I didn't wake you up!" Aria protested with an equally playful smile.

"Yes, you did. I woke up when I felt you move away from me," Levi retorted.

"There's no way in hell you're that light of a sleeper," Aria said.

"Listen, just because you can sleep through the apocalypse doesn't mean we all can," Levi replied. "And what if I told you I was asking you for selfish reasons as well? Maybe I just want to hear you sing for me again."

Aria sighed, but kept the smile on her face. "Well, I can't say no to that. Alright, get comfortable. But this is the last one tonight." She waited for Levi to settle in again before starting her next song.

" _There I was again tonight_

 _Forcing laughter, faking smiles_

 _Same old tired, lonely place_

 _Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes, and vacancy_

 _Vanished when I saw your face_

 _All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you_ "

Aria blushed a bright pink when she felt Levi's arms wind around her body, one arm around her shoulders and the other wrapping around her waist. He let out a content sigh as he pulled her closer, nuzzling her hair.

" _Your eyes whispered 'Have we met?'_

 _Across the room your silhouette starts to make its way to me_

 _The playful conversation starts_

 _Counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy_

 _All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you_

 _Oh baby I was so enchanted to meet you too_

 _This night is sparkling, don't you let it go_

 _I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home_

 _I'll spend forever wondering if you knew_

 _I was enchanted to meet you too_ "

' _I wonder if he even realizes how handsome he is_ ,' Aria thought as Levi closed his eyes again. He was easily one of the most attractive men she'd ever met and, while he was blunt and rude most of the time, she appreciated how direct he was. Even though she was reasonably adept at inferring other people's emotions and thoughts, it was refreshing when someone told her outright what they thought.

" _The lingering question kept me up_

 _2AM, who do you love?_

 _I wondered till I'm wide awake_

 _Now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door_

 _I'd open up and you would say_

 _'Hey, it was enchanting to meet you'_

 _Oh baby, I was so enchanted to meet you too_

 _This night is sparkling, don't you let it go_

 _I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home_

 _I'll spend forever wondering if you knew_

 _I was enchanted to meet you too_ "

She felt Levi's breathing slow and even out as he started to fall asleep again. As Aria continued to sing to him, she couldn't help but think that she'd do anything for more nights like this. She never would have guessed that Levi would grow on her as much as he had. She hadn't thought much of him when they'd met; she was actually fairly certain he didn't like her. Now he was one of the most important people in her life and she knew that she didn't want to be without him. He had wormed his way into her heart in a way she didn't think anyone else would again.

" _This is me praying that_

 _This was the very first page, not where the storyline ends_

 _My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again_

 _These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon_

 _I was enchanted to meet you too_

 _Please don't be in love with someone else_

 _Please don't have somebody waiting on you_

 _Please don't be in love with someone else_

 _Please don't have somebody waiting on you_

 _This night is sparkling, don't you let it go_

 _I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home_

 _I'll spend forever wondering if you knew_

 _This night is flawless, don't you let it go_

 _I'm wonderstruck, dancing 'round all alone_

 _I'll spend my whole life wondering if you knew_

 _I was enchanted to meet you too_ "

Aria came to a realization as she felt Levi protectively tighten his grip on her. It was one that scared and exhilarated her at the same time. She finished the last few lines of the song, changing up the lyrics just a bit to fit her purposes.

" _I was never in love with someone else_

 _I never had somebody waiting on me_

 _'Cause you are all of my dreams come true_

 _And I just wish you knew_ "

Before she sang the final lyric, she pressed her ear against Levi's chest and listened to his slowed heartbeat. After a moment, she pulled away and listened to make sure his breathing was slow and even as well. Satisfied that he was really asleep, she reached up to place a soft, gentle kiss on his cheek. She settled back down, tucking her head underneath his chin, before singing the last modified lyric, closing her eyes, and falling asleep as well.

" _Levi, I've fallen so in love with you_ "

* * *

 **Ending Note: I'm not going to lie to you guys, I've been wanting to write this chapter** _ **forever**_ **! I'm really proud of the way it came out but I would like a second opinion.**

 **Don't think Aria and Levi are out of the woods just yet, though. Getting them to admit their feelings is the easy part but getting them to act on them is going to be a little tricky!**

 **Thank you so much for reading!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	10. The Treehouse

**Author's Note: I do not own Attack on Titan.**

 **"The Treehouse" belongs to Sunroof.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

 _I made blueprints for a treehouse_

 _Towering high over the summer in July_

 _And my backyard held a meadow_

 _And we two were the only ones who knew_

Levi woke up the next morning feeling much better, turning off his alarm and blinking the sleep from his eyes. Once he felt a bit more awake, he turned his head toward the window, not at all surprised to see a very thick blanket of snow covering the campus. He was equally unsurprised when he checked his phone and saw an email from the university stating that classes had been canceled for the day due to the snowfall.

What did surprise him, though, was looking down and seeing Aria tucked against his side, sleeping peacefully. While not an unwelcome surprise by any means, Levi had been tempted to write the previous evening off as a very pleasant fever dream.

' _Gotta admit, this isn't a bad way to wake up_ ,' he thought, reaching over to grab Aria's phone and turn off her alarms before settling down next to her again. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, smiling when she nuzzled her cheek into the palm of his hand.

He watched her sleep for a while longer until his stomach growled. Reluctantly, he climbed out of bed and headed into the kitchen, shuffling through the fridge as he tried to figure out what to make for breakfast. He knew Aria wasn't a terribly picky eater but he still wanted to thank her for taking care of him. After much deliberation, he decided on making ham and cheese omelets for the both of them.

Once breakfast was ready, Levi poked his head back into his bedroom. Aria was still fast asleep in the exact same position as when he'd left. He slowly made his way over to the bed and, remembering that she was ticklish on the back of her neck, brushed her hair away from her nape and wasted no time wiggling his fingers over her ticklish spot.

Aria's eyes immediately flew open and she squirmed away from him, giggling and bringing a hand up to cover her nape. She rolled over to look at Levi, smiling up at him, before looking out the window and blinking in realization.

"Levi, what time is it?" Aria asked.

"A little after nine," Levi answered simply. Seeing the panic in Aria's eyes, he added, "You're not late for anything, if that's what you're worried about. We got an email this morning that classes were canceled because of the snow, so I turned off your alarm."

"Aww, you're such a good wife, Levi," Aria joked, getting out of bed and stretching. "Hold on. If classes were canceled, why'd you wake me up?"

Levi shrugged. "Breakfast is ready. Figured you'd want to eat before it got cold."

"You made breakfast for me?" Aria asked, gathering up her phone and following Levi out into the kitchen.

"It's nothing too fancy, just a ham and cheese omelet," Levi replied, grabbing the plates and forks and handing one to Aria. He sat down on his couch and turned on the T.V., gesturing for Aria to join him.

"I didn't know you could cook," Aria said as she sat down with him, digging into her food.

"I don't really have much of a reason to, considering how inclusive our meal plans are, but I wanted to thank you for taking care of me yesterday."

Aria smiled after swallowing a bite. "Levi, this is incredible! Do the guys know you can cook like this?"

"No. I haven't really cooked for anyone besides Farlan and Isabel," Levi replied, starting on his food as well. Though he kept his expression neutral, he was happy that Aria enjoyed his cooking. ' _I also don't normally cook for people unless they mean a lot to me, sweet stuff_.'

The pair continued to watch television after they'd finished eating, Aria running her fingers through Levi's hair as she had the previous night. Levi was beginning to enjoy Aria's touch more and more and he found himself tilting his head toward her so she could reach more of his scalp. He began unwittingly entertaining thoughts of how her hands might feel on other parts of his body but he did nothing to stop them. This hadn't been the first time he'd had sexual thoughts regarding Aria and he'd learned that trying to repress them only made them worse, usually resulting in some rather erotic dreams.

When the thoughts first surfaced, Levi had been almost appalled, but eventually he came to realize that it was a natural part of being attracted to someone. Besides, he had a sneaking suspicion that Aria wasn't as innocent as she looked.

Aria's fingers suddenly ceased their ministrations to Levi's scalp and he looked over at her, disgruntled. "Why'd you stop?"

Aria looked up from her phone. "Text from Hanji. Everyone's meeting for lunch in about ten minutes. You wanna go?"

Levi nodded. "Yeah, we might as well. Your roommates might assume I'm holding you hostage here otherwise."

"That's the truth. I got about eight 'where are you' texts from Hanji last night," Aria laughed, removing her hand from Levi's head and standing up. "Before we go, though, I need to stop by my room and change. There's a lot more snow out there now than when I came over last night and these clothes and shoes aren't going to cut it."

 _We turned the hillside into a castle_

 _And chased off dragons side by side_

 _Over the picket fence lay an imaginary paradise in the sky_

"Noticed you didn't come back last night, Aria," Hanji said when Aria sat down.

Aria quirked an eyebrow, understanding what her friend was hinting at. "Right. And I noticed you and Bri decorated the room for Christmas when I stopped in to change clothes. If we're done pointing out the obvious, I'm going to eat now."

Eld blinked. "Wow. You've been spending way too much with Levi; he's starting to rub off on you."

"In more ways than one, I'd imagine," Hanji added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as Aria's cheeks reddened.

"Leave her be, shithead," Levi said, sitting down next to Aria. "She stayed with me because I asked her to. Nothing happened, but I'll damned if I didn't get some amazing sleep last night. Drop it."

Hanji didn't comment any further on the previous evening, though she did make note of Levi's growing protectiveness over Aria. ' _I ship it. I ship it so hard_.'

Bri shook her head playfully before turning to Aria. "So, there's going to be another unofficial concert for spring semester around Valentine's Day. Are you going to sing for us again, Aria?"

"Hell yeah! I was wondering when you were going to ask!" Aria replied without any hesitation, much to Bri's surprise and delight.

As the group continued to converse about the next semester, Bri noticed that Aria kept glancing outside at the snow-covered campus with a small smile on her face.

' _She really is like a little kid sometimes_ ,' Bri thought before poking Aria on the shoulder. "Do you want to play in the snow?"

The smile that lit up Aria's face was all the answer she needed.

 _I fell in love with your starry eyes of deep blue skies_

 _And when I hold you close, my dear, I feel like we could fly_

 _I know your smile will be always in my heart_

 _So close your eyes and dream of the skies_

 _And I'll be here with you in our treehouse_

The group had made their way to the snow-covered field behind Smith Hall. Aria had immediately begun playing in the snow once they got there, Hanji joining her just a moment later.

"So tell me again why snow's so important to her," Levi inquired to Bri as they watched Aria and Hanji play. Eld, Gunther, Oluo, and Petra had joined the girls in a sort of mini snowball fight.

"I wouldn't say it's 'important' to her so much as it reminds her of home. Winter's her favorite season and she's always been happier in colder weath-," Bri was promptly interrupted by a snowball to the face while Levi was hit in the side of the head.

"Come on! Quit standing over there like a couple of party-poopers!" Hanji shouted, Aria cracking up next to her.

"Alright. Come here, you little shit," Levi said, taking off after Aria as Bri proceeded to charge Hanji.

Soon enough, what had started as a snowball fight between friends had evolved into snowball war involving half the student body. There were no sides, snow was flying everywhere, and the only rule was hit or be hit.

"Aaargh, I've been slain!" Aria gasped out dramatically, clutching at her heart when a snowball struck her arm, before sinking to the ground.

"Come on, get up," Bri said after Aria had laid there for a minute or two, looking down at her with an unamused expression.

"I'm dead," Aria replied simply, not moving from her spot on the ground.

"Mmm, no you're not," Bri retorted.

"Fine," Aria sighed, pushing herself up and onto her feet. "Where's Eren? I'm pretty sure he's the one that hit me and it's time to pay him back."

"I don't think you have to worry about that," Bri smirked, nodding her head to Aria's right. "Levi's got it taken care of."

Aria looked over in the direction Bri had nodded to see Levi mercilessly pummeling Eren with snowballs. "That's what you get, Jaeger!" she shouted over to the boy.

"Whatever, Aria!" Eren yelled back. "You know I only threw that snowball at you out of love!"

It may have been her imagination, but Aria thought she noticed Levi pummel the poor freshman even harder after that comment was made.

 _We held picnics on the rooftops_

 _And left our cares in the wintergreen air_

 _We threw flowers and paper airplanes_

 _Over our town and laughed as we looked down_

Levi jerked forward as a snowball hit the back of his head, causing him to cease his assault on Eren. He whipped around, glaring, only to see Aria behind him, looking away innocently. She barely had any time to react before he had tackled her into the snow, pinning her body to the ground with his.

"That's twice today, Red," Levi smirked as Aria squirmed underneath him. "I think it's time for a little payback."

With that, he picked up a handful of snow and shoved it into her face. Aria squealed and laughed, glad Levi had decided to play along as well. She wiped the snow out of her face, her eyes widening when she realized just how close Levi's face was to hers; his lips were hovering just inches above hers. Levi appeared to be thinking along the same lines and, at this point, the coloring in their cheeks had nothing to do with the cold. The pair stared at each other, seemingly frozen in place, each contemplating closing the gap between their lips. Finally, Aria brought her face closer to Levi's and gently rubbed her nose against his in a sweet Eskimo kiss. Levi's cheeks flushed even darker, but he awkwardly returned the gesture as well before reluctantly climbing off of Aria and pulling her to her feet.

Petra had been watching the exchange from a short distance away, the same sad look in her eyes as before. She snapped out of her daze when someone tapped her shoulder.

"Everything okay?" Bri asked.

Petra forced a smile."Y-Yeah, everything's fine. Sorry, I just spaced out a little."

 _We turned the hillside into a castle_

 _And chased off dragons side by side_

 _Over the picket fence lay an imaginary paradise in the sky_

By the time the sun was starting to set, the snowball war had ended. The students, tired and soaked, but happy all the same, drug themselves back to their dorms or to get something to eat.

"Hey, Levi," Aria began as the two began their walk back to Recon Hall. "Would you... Would you maybe want to...I don't know...stay over with me?"

Levi blinked. "R-Really?"

Aria nodded, her cheeks flushing. "Yeah. I mean, Bri said she was staying over with Eld tonight anyway and... I could really use my favorite cuddle buddy."

Levi's cheeks flushed as well. "That...That sounds really nice, actually." He paused before looking over to her. "Wait, what do you mean 'favorite'? You have other cuddle buddies?"

"You're the only male one," Aria replied.

"Good," Levi nodded. "I'm going to stop back at my room first to take a shower and change, though."

"I was thinking the same thing," Aria agreed as they entered Recon Hall. "I want to take a hot shower and see if I can get some feeling back in my legs. Just text me when you're on your way."

"Will do," Levi said, heading in the direction of his room.

 _I fell in love with your starry eyes of deep blue skies_

 _And when I hold you close, my dear, I feel like we could fly_

 _I know your smile will be always in my heart_

 _So close your eyes and dream of the skies_

 _And I'll be here with you in our treehouse_

Levi knocked on Aria's door a short while later, smiling when she opened it and handed him a mug of hot chocolate. He followed her into her bedroom, nearly dropping the mug when he noticed that she was wearing a pair of shorts as pajama bottoms. Up until this point, Aria had always worn jeans or sweats around him, so Levi had never seen her bare legs before. And he was not disappointed. Aria had mentioned that she had been dancing most of her life, so Levi wasn't terribly surprised that her legs were so toned. He could see the muscles working as she walked and, honestly, he thought it was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen.

Aria turned to him when she felt him staring at her. "Everything okay?"

Levi shook his head, snapping out of his stupor. "Yeah. It's just... I've never seen your legs before."

Aria looked down as if suddenly realizing what she was wearing. "I can put on sweats if it's bothering you."

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that," Levi said hurriedly. "They don't bother me at all; I actually think they're... I think they're beautiful."

' _They're also the sexiest legs I've ever seen and I'd have no problem with you wrapping those beauties around me and never letting go_ ,' Levi thought.

"Really? I've always the muscles made them look a little...off," Aria said.

Levi shook his head, both as a way to reassure her and to rid himself of his thoughts. Aria smiled and settled down on her bed. "I figured you'd rather just chill with me in here. I have no idea when Hanji's going to be back and I doubt either of us want her insinuating anything."

"You figured right," Levi replied, settling in next to Aria as she turned on her T.V.. "And since you're going without pants tonight...,"

' _Holy shit_ ,' was all Aria could think as Levi pulled off his shirt, revealing a very impressive set of abs.

"No. No way. No way in hell," Aria said, scooting closer to Levi and running her hands over his abdomen. "There's no way those are real."

Levi chuckled. "What, you think just because I'm an art major, I don't work out sometimes?"

"I just... I never would have guessed," Aria replied, still running her hands over his abs as her fantasies went into overdrive.

Unbeknownst to Levi, Aria had similar sexual thoughts towards him. And, much like Levi, she had learned that trying to push them away only resulted in erotic dreams later on. She was certain she'd be seeing his abs in a few of them now. ' _Hopefully, it's the one where he gives me a lapdance_ ,' she thought.

A few cups of ramen and some episodes of _Whose Line Is It Anyway?_ later, Aria and Levi had snuggled under the covers, settling in for the night. Both had been fairly exhausted from the snowball war, and Aria had fallen asleep almost immediately. Levi couldn't help but grin as she curled into his side, wrapping her arms around his torso. He began gently petting her hair, looking down at her sleeping face. She always looked so peaceful when she slept and he couldn't stop himself from nuzzling his nose against hers, much like she had done earlier that afternoon.

He watched her for a while longer before his own eyelids grew heavy. He snuggled closer to Aria, wrapping his arms around her and smiling as she cuddled closer. His eyes were drawn to her lips, once again parted just slightly as she slept. He hesitated for a moment before leaning down and gently pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was brief and he reluctantly pulled back, chuckling as Aria smiled in her sleep, mumbling incoherently.

' _Sweet dreams, Red_ ,' Levi thought before closing his eyes and falling asleep as well.

 _In our treehouse_

 _In our treehouse_

* * *

 **Ending Notes: Sexual tension, FTW!**

 **As always, feedback and reviews are appreciated!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	11. Enjoy the Silence

**Author's Note: Not sure if anyone noticed, but I am going to be bumping the story rating up just to be safe. We're going to see some more sexual themes from here on out.**

 **I don't own Attack on Titan.**

 **"Enjoy the Silence" belongs to Depeche Mode.**

* * *

 _Words like violence_

 _Break the silence_

 _Come crashing in_

 _Into my little world_

 _Painful to me_

 _Pierce right through me_

 _Can't you understand_

 _Oh, my little girl_

Christmas break was over and, for once, Levi could honestly say he was looking forward to getting back to campus. He hated adjusting to new classes full of irritating people and being away from Farlan and Isabel. While he did care about the few friends he'd made on campus, none of them related to him the way they did. Not until recently, anyway, and that's why he was happy to be back.

He was glad that Aria had been having a good time in Scotland. From the numerous pictures she'd posted on her Facebook or sent to him directly, she'd enjoyed being with her family in her homeland. He couldn't deny that he'd missed her, though. The only direct contact with her that he'd had over the break had been a Skype call on Christmas/his birthday and, while it was nice to hear her voice, the call only served to make him miss her more. Farlan and Isabel had been quick to pick up on this and wasted no time in pestering him relentlessly about his feelings for the redhead. While he never said anything to them, he was beginning to think that his feelings for her had extended beyond simple infatuation.

Another thing Levi neglected to tell them, for obvious reasons, was that the erotic dreams he'd been having of Aria had increased over the course of the break. He wasn't sure why but he suspected the separation may have had something to do with it. The dreams ran the gamut from steamy makeout sessions in the back of his car to making sweet, tender love to her to handcuffing Aria to his bed and fucking her until she couldn't breathe. While the dreams weren't unpleasant by any means, he was becoming preoccupied with figuring out if Aria would be at all receptive to some the 'activities' taking place in them.

Levi was snapped out of his thoughts when his phone screen lit up, revealing a text from Aria. 'Hey, are you back yet?'

'Yeah.'

Her response was almost immediate. 'Oh thank God. I just got done putting all my shit away, Bri and Hanji aren't back yet, I missed you like crazy, and I'm hungry as hell. Wanna grab something?'

' _You mean besides a handful of your beautiful ass?_ ' Levi thought. He couldn't help but be amused and a little flattered at the fact that she was beginning to talk like him and he couldn't ignore the way his heartbeat quickened when she said she missed him. He unpacked the last of his things before sending his reply. 'Sounds good. I'll meet you at the bakery. Still have a little more shit to put away myself.'

Levi entered the bakery a short while later, looking around for a familiar head of red hair. He had just picked up his food when he spotted her at one of the tables, chatting happily with Jaeger. He couldn't hear what they were talking about but he did notice Eren rest his hand on Aria's shoulder for a moment before pulling back. Levi didn't consider himself a possessive person, especially since he and Aria weren't a couple. The fact that Aria had a pretty substantial amount of male friends had never bothered him; Aria was an extrovert and people liked being around her, so he figured it was only natural. However, he was aware that Jaeger had developed a bit of a crush on the girl and something about that gesture caused a wave of possessive fury to wash over him.

 _All I ever wanted_

 _All I ever needed_

 _Is here in my arms_

 _Words are very unnecessary_

 _They can only do harm_

Aria had just sat down after picking up her food when she heard Eren calling out to her. She smiled, waving over to the boy.

"Hey, Eren! What's up?" she greeted.

"Nothing much. I just saw you sit down, so I figured I'd come say hey. Are you by yourself?" Eren asked.

"For the moment, yes," Aria replied. "But I'm waiting on someone, so hopefully it won't be too much longer."

"W-Well, if you want, I can sit with you until they get here," Eren nervously offered, hoping he wasn't being too obvious.

Aria smiled. "Sure, that'd be cool."

Eren returned the smile, sitting down next to her. "So, I heard the theatre department's big show for this semester is going to be _Kiss Me, Kate_. Do you think you're going to audition?"

Aria nodded. "Mm-hmm. I'm planning on auditioning for Lois. I'm a little nervous about it, though. If I get the part, it'll be the biggest role I've ever had."

"Is she one of the leads?" Eren asked.

Aria shook her head. "She's not a leading role but she's a pretty major supporting character. Most of the roles I've done up to this point have been minor characters or ensemble parts, but performing at the Halloween concert motivated me. I think I can handle it."

Eren smiled. "I'm sure you'll get it. And I know you'll be great. College is a time to try new things, right?" His cheeks reddened just a bit as he gently rested his hand on her shoulder. "Maybe things you hadn't considered trying before..."

Aria was about to ask what he meant when she felt a draft of wind beside her. When she looked up to see Levi standing next to her, she immediately shot up from her chair and wrapped him in a hug. Had she not been too busy burying her face in Levi's chest as his arms wound around her waist, she may have noticed the deadly glare he was fixing Eren with. She barely registered Eren's hasty goodbye and exit, but she did give him a small wave before sitting down with Levi.

"Holy dick and balls, I missed you!" Aria exclaimed. "I've got to figure out a way to bring you with me next time."

"Sounds good to me," Levi replied. "I missed you too. But I assume you had a good break?"

Aria nodded. "Yeah. It's always a party and a half when my family's all together. Or, as my brother says, when the Avengers assemble. I was really happy to be able to go back home. I missed the brown grass and the rain that hurts your face," she replied, earning a chuckle from Levi. "How was your break?"

Levi shrugged. "Could've been worse. Would have been less shitty if you'd been there."

Aria smiled, reaching into her bag. "Well, I think I have something that might make it up to you. I'm sorry it had to wait until after Christmas, but I was only able to get a hold of it while I was home."

She pulled a small tin box out of her bag and handed it to Levi. Her smile only grew as Levi's eyes widened.

"Red...where did you get these? Do you have any idea how rare these tea leaves are?" Levi asked.

"Obviously. That's why I got them for you," Aria replied. "I told you before that my grandparents run a tea shop now that they've retired from performing. They've got plenty of connections, so I was able to get a hold of some of these for you."

"You're the best, Aria. You really are," Levi said, smiling when Aria's cheeks turned a light pink. "I have something for you, too."

Aria blinked as Levi pulled a small picture frame out of his own bag and handed it to her. Inside the frame was a painting of her in a regal red dress, wearing a crown of red spider lilies as a phoenix readied itself to land on her outstretched arm.

Levi barely had time to react before Aria swiftly moved into the chair next to him and pulled him into a hug, nuzzling her face into his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, making out a muffled 'I love it' from Aria before she finally lifted her head.

"It's beautiful, Levi!" Aria exclaimed, kissing his cheek before she could stop herself.

"It's...It's not a big deal...," Levi trailed off, turning his head away from her in an attempt to the color rushing to his face. ' _But I'll have to do these for you more often if this is how you thank me_.'

 _Vows are spoken_

 _To be broken_

 _Feelings are intense_

 _Words are trivial_

 _Pleasures remain_

 _So does the pain_

 _Words are meaningless_

 _And forgettable_

The next few days saw Aria and Bri attempting to adjust to new class schedules and assignments as well as practicing for the Valentine's Day concert when they had some free time. Aria had also decided to take a jazz dance class as an elective for the semester. While she was glad to be dancing again, she'd forgotten how sore extensive dancing could make a person's legs, especially since she hadn't been dancing much recently.

Currently, Aria was walking back to her room with Levi. He had noticed her wincing every so often as they walked and she had mentioned earlier that her legs had been sore but she hadn't complained otherwise.

"Are your legs still bothering you?" Levi asked as they entered her room.

"Yeah," Aria replied, leaning against the counter. "I must be out of practice. I'm hoping I'll get used to dancing again soon, though."

"I can massage your calves for you, if you want," Levi offered.

"Really?" Aria asked. "That'd be awesome! Just a sec, I wanna put my pajamas on."

With that, Aria got up and walked into her room, closing the door behind her. She poked her head back out a short time later, motioning Levi over. "It might actually be better to do this in here. Little more private, ya know?"

' _Private, huh?_ ' Levi thought as he followed Aria back into her room, shutting the door behind them. He'd noticed that she'd been wearing her pajama shorts more frequently when they were alone together and, while it didn't bother him in the slightest, he was starting to wonder if she was teasing him on purpose.

Aria, for her part, was well aware of how much Levi liked her legs and she couldn't deny that she did enjoy teasing him a bit. She'd noticed him stealing glances at her legs or subtly brush his hand or fingers against them whenever she would wear her shorts. She wasn't proud of teasing him like this but there was a selfish reason for it as well: she absolutely loved the feel of his fingers on her bare skin. She settled back against her pillows and layed her legs over Levi's lap when he sat down as well.

Levi wasted no time; he began working small circles into her calves as soon as Aria had rested her legs over him. He glanced up at Aria and noticed that her head was resting back against the pillows, her eyes closed and a small smile gracing her lips. He began slowly working his way up her right leg, marveling at how soft and smooth her skin felt and how beautifully toned her legs were. He looked up again when he heard Aria smile happily and stretch her arms over her head, causing her shirt to pull up a bit and revealing a decent amount of her stomach. Once again, he had to struggle to even begin to tear his eyes away but something caught his eye before he could. He noticed what looked to be part of a tattoo just above the line of Aria's shorts. He couldn't make out what it was but the fact that she even had a tattoo to begin with was both a little surprising and extremely sexy.

Aria, meanwhile, was having an extremely difficult time suppressing the moans that threatened to spill from her lips as Levi continued his ministrations, moving in between her legs so he could focus his attention on her left leg. She'd had fantasies about Levi touching her like this, but the reality put all of them to shame.

' _I guess I should expect him to be good with his hands but damn..._ ,' was all Aria could think. She kept her eyes closed as he continued and vaguely registered her leg being lifted up. Her eyes flew open, however, when she felt something soft trailing up her leg. She looked down and saw Levi placing gentle, fluttery kisses up her bare leg. There was no way to stop the color flooding her cheeks and she was tempted to try to turn her head away, but she couldn't tear her eyes from the sight before her. Levi turned his gaze toward her and the smoldering look in his eyes almost made her come undone right there.

Levi wasn't entirely sure what possessed him to start kissing Aria's leg but when they made eye contact and he saw the adorably flustered look on her face, he knew there was no turning back. He began moving closer to her thigh, keeping eye contact and looking for any sign that she was uncomfortable or wanted him to stop. When he didn't receive any such indication, he gently set her leg back down and slowly crawled up her body, carefully resting himself on top of her.

The two studied each other for a long time. Levi was once again drawn to Aria's beautiful green eyes like a moth to a flame. He gently rested his forehead against hers as he thought back to their initial interactions. He never would have guessed that asking her to sing for him would ultimately result in him developing feelings for her. Their separation over Christmas break made him realize just how attached he'd become and how much he hated it when she was gone. It also made him realize that he didn't want to be away from her for that long again. And now, looking into her eyes like this, he realized how much he loved the way she made him feel and how much he adored all her little quirks and habits. But mostly, being with her like this made him realize just how much he loved _her_. The thought both thrilled and terrified him, and he found himself lowering his lips toward Aria's as their eyes slid shut.

The door to Aria's room was flung open, startling the two.

"Aria! Have you seen the-," Hanji began, trailing off when she saw the position Aria and Levi were in, a mad grin on her face. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No shit," Levi growled, carefully rolling off of Aria.

Hanji's grin never faltered. "You guys don't have to stop on my account. Feel free to continue whatever you were doing."

Levi sent her glare. "Knowing you, you'd be sitting outside the door listening to us."

"I will not confirm or deny that," Hanji replied, disappearing back into her room.

Levi let out a frustrated sigh, turning to Aria. "I think I'm going to head back to my room, okay?"

Aria nodded, clearly disappointed. "Okay. Hang on a sec and I'll come with you."

Levi blinked as Aria began sliding on a pair of sweats. "Why are putting those on?"

"There's a bunch of dudes I don't know on your floor; I don't want them seeing me in shorts this short," Aria replied.

' _Good call. I don't want that either,_ ' Levi thought possessively, making for the door with Aria close behind him.

"I'm really sorry about that," Aria said as they made their way to Levi's room.

"You don't have anything to apologize for; your shitty roommate was the one who interrupted," Levi replied. Seeing the unsure look on Aria's face, he added, "Listen, I'm not angry with you or anything. I should have thought to lock the door and I didn't. But next time, we're doing this in my room."

' _Next time?!_ ' Aria thought excitedly. ' _Oh baby, there's gonna be a round two!_ '

"I do think you owe me, though," Levi said as they reached his floor.

"What do you mean?" Aria asked.

"Well, I gave you a massage tonight. Maybe you could give me one sometime?"

Aria nodded, winking playfully as they reached Levi's door. "I think we can arrange that."

Aria reached out a grabbed Levi's hand before he could go inside. When he looked back at her, she reached up and pulled his head down to her level, pressing her lips to his briefly.

Aria pulled away, looking at the ground. "That was for...everything. Goodnight, Levi," she mumbled quickly, cheeks red, before heading back down to her room.

Levi could barely register what had happened, leaning against his door with equally red cheeks. After snapping back to reality, lips still tingling from the kiss, he unlocked the door and entered his room.

' _Yeah. I'm definitely in love with her._ '

 _All I ever wanted_

 _All I ever needed_

 _Is here in my arms_

 _Words are very unnecessary_

 _They can only do harm_

* * *

 **Ending Notes: Such cockblocking. Can't even. Wow!**

 **Once again, feedback is always appreciated! Thanks for reading!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	12. For Your Entertainment

**Author's Note: I don't own Attack on Titan.**

 **"If I Had You" and "For Your Entertainment" belong to Adam Lambert. (Love that man!) I'd highly recommend watching the music video for "For Your Entertainment" if you want a better idea of Aria's dance moves for that song. I'm a bit clueless when it comes to describing dance moves.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

"You have to tell him," Bri said after Aria had finished relaying the events from the previous evening.

"I don't know... I'm not even sure he sees me that way," Aria replied hesitantly.

Bri let out an exasperated sigh. "Aria, we've talked about this and, to be honest with you, I'm getting dangerously close to slapping you right now. He was _kissing up your leg_. If you need some sort of a sign, there it is."

"I'm just saying, what if he's only after a 'friends with benefits' kind of thing? He might not want a relationship with me," Aria pointed out.

Bri stared at Aria for a long time, not saying a word. After a period of time, Bri stood up, slowly and deliberately made her way over to Aria, and promptly smacked her on the back of the head.

"Ow! What the hell, Bri?! Who are you, my grandma?!"

"You always told me that your grandma would smack you and Allegro on the back of the head whenever she thought you guys were being stupid, right?" Bri asked. "Well, that was probably the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say."

"What do you mean?" Aria asked, rubbing the back of her head.

"Does Levi really seem like he'd be into casual sex?" Bri demanded.

"...No," Aria answered.

"Exactly. That's a bullshit reason and you know it," Bri replied before sitting down next to Aria. "So what's really bothering you about this?"

Aria was silent for a long time, mulling over her thoughts as Bri waited patiently for an answer. "I guess... I guess I'm scared that if Levi and I actually started dating, it would just turn out like my relationship with Chad."

Bri's eyebrow twitched. "Clarify before I punch you again."

"Well, Chad was perfectly sweet when we first started going out, but he got more possessive and demeaning as time went on. I'm just worried that something like that might happen again and I don't know if I want to risk it," Aria replied.

Bri sighed. "Aria, Chad and Levi don't even begin to compare and you know it. Chad tried to keep you from performing and doing what you love because he knew you'd be amazing at it. He could tell that you were going to go places, realize that you deserved much better than him, and eventually leave him behind. Truth be told, I think your talent scared him. I mean, look at the guy now; he's not in school and doesn't have a job as far as we know. He's not going anywhere anytime soon." She paused for a moment, letting Aria take in what she'd said. "Levi's been nothing but supportive of you from the start, hasn't he? From what you told me, he was the one that gave you the kick in the ass you needed to start singing again. Seems to me like he not only wants you to go places, he's _expecting_ you to."

Aria nodded. "Yeah, that's true."

"I know that you and Chad had a really messy breakup; three years is a long time to be with someone only to have it go down in flames. So if you're honestly not ready for another relationship right now, that's one thing. But if you're holding yourself back from a man you love because you think Levi's going to turn out like Chad did, you're still letting him have control over your life," Bri continued. "I'm not saying you have to make a choice right now, but at least give what I'm telling you some thought, okay?"

"I will," Aria agreed.

* * *

Aria didn't have too much time to dwell on her feelings over the next few weeks; the concert was fast approaching as it was and she'd received a callback for her _Kiss Me, Kate_ audition. She'd hoped everything had gone well, but all she could do now was wait for news. Everything had been a whirlwind of classes, rehearsals, and assignments and, before she knew it, the night of the concert had arrived.

"You feeling okay?" Oluo asked Aria as the group prepared backstage.

"More or less. I'm wearing more leather than I feel entirely comfortable in, but it's for a good cause," Aria replied.

Oluo smirked. "And by 'good cause', you mean Levi, right?"

Aria smiled and rolled her eyes. "You know me well."

"Whose idea was it to put us all in leather outfits, anyway?"

"I'm pretty sure it was Bri. She never really gave me a reason when I asked her why, but I think she just wants to see Eld in leather pants," Aria said.

The two shared a laugh before Oluo turned back to the redhead. "In all seriousness, though. You're not nervous at all?"

"A little bit, I guess. But I'm not freaking out like I did before the Halloween concert," Aria said.

"Well, that's good. Don't need you puking or passing out on us," Oluo replied. "You don't have any reason to freak out. Even if you totally suck, we can still carry the performance."

"Wow, bro. You're such an amazing motivational speaker," Aria deadpanned.

"Fine, I'll be genuine for a second. All joking aside, kid, you've totally got this." Oluo said, voice completely sincere.

Aria smiled. Sure, Oluo was an ass nine times out of ten but moments like these reminded her why, after Levi, he was her closest male friend. The guy had her back no matter what and, even though he'd never admit it, she knew they were some of each other's biggest supporters.

"Alright ladies," Gunther said, walking over and dropping his arms around Aria and Oluo's shoulders. "It's showtime."

* * *

"So why didn't the guys want us to come and see them before the show started?" Hanji asked Levi as they waited for the show to start.

Levi didn't answer but he was curious as well. All Aria had told him was that it was a surprise that she was confident he would enjoy. She'd sent him a text before the show with very specific instructions on where to sit as well as a request to come find her after the show. His mind was swimming with ideas regarding what this 'surprise' of hers was, but he was snapped out of those thoughts as the theatre lights dimmed and the curtains opened. His eyes widened when he saw what Aria was wearing. She was dressed almost entirely in black leather; her pants, jacket, fingerless gloves, and boots were all made from the material, the only exception being the tank top she wore underneath the jacket. Her hair had been left in its natural wavy state and pulled up into a ponytail and the black eyeliner she wore gave her normally large eyes a more narrowed, smoldering look. But what was absolutely driving Levi crazy was her lips; they were coated in the most enticing shade of red he'd ever seen and all he could picture was Aria kissing and smearing that beautiful color all over his body. He saw her look his way and send him a quick wink before she started to sing.

" _So I got my boots on_

 _Got the right amount of leather_

 _And I'm doing me up with a black colored liner_

 _And I'm working my strut but I know it don't matter_

 _All we need in this world is some love_

 _There's a thin line 'tween the dark side_

 _And the light side, baby tonight_

 _It's a struggle, gotta rumble, tryin'a find it_

 _But if I had you, that would be the only thing I'd ever need_

 _Yeah, if I had you, the money, fame, and fortune never could compete_

 _If I had you, life would be a party, it'd be ecstasy_

 _Yeah, if I had you_

 _If I had you_ "

Levi was only aware of two things as he watched Aria dance around the stage. The first was that she was right; he _really_ enjoyed this little surprise of hers. The second was that his pants had become uncomfortably tight.

" _From New York to LA, getting high, rock and rollin'_

 _Get a room, trash it up till it's ten in the mornin'_

 _Girls in stripper heels, boys rollin' in Maseratis_

 _What they need in this world is some love_

 _There's a thin line 'tween a wild time_

 _And a flat line, baby tonight_

 _It's a struggle, gotta rumble, tryin'a find it_

 _But if I had you, that would be the only thing I'd ever need_

 _Yeah, if I had you, the money, fame, and fortune never could compete_

 _If I had you, life would be a party, it'd be ecstasy_

 _Yeah, if I had you_

 _If I had you_

 _The flashing of the lights, it might feel so good_

 _But I got you stuck on my mind, yeah_

 _The fashion and the stage, it might get me high_

 _But it don't mean a thing tonight_

 _That would be the only thing I'd ever need_

 _Yeah, if I had you, the money, fame, and fortune never could compete_

 _If I had you, life would be a party, it'd be ecstasy_

 _Yeah, if I had you_

 _If I had you_

 _that would be the only thing I'd ever need_

 _Yeah, if I had you, the money, fame, and fortune never could compete_

 _If I had you, life would be a party, it'd be ecstasy_

 _Yeah, if I had you_

 _If I had you_ "

The crowd erupted into applause and whistles as Aria finished, snapping Levi out of his daze. His eyes had been glued on her form the entire song, noting how tightly those pants clung to her backside and highlighted those legs he loved so much. He'd never seen her wear black on black before but, damn, she looked amazing in it. He blinked as she met his eyes again, a barely noticeable smirk playing on her lips.

' _Oh, man...,_ ' was all Levi could think as the second song began.

" _So hot, out the box_

 _Can you pick up the pace?_

 _Turn it up, heat it up_

 _I need to be entertained_

 _Push the limit, are you with it?_

 _Baby, don't be afraid_

 _I'ma hurt ya real good, baby_

 _Let's go, it's my show_

 _Baby, do what I say_

 _Don't trip off the glitz that I'm gonna display_

 _I told ya, I'ma hold you down until you're amazed_

 _Give it to ya till you're screamin' my name_ "

Levi was sorely tempted to pinch himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming; the provocative lyrics, the sultry tone Aria was using, and way she was dancing across the stage was like something straight out of his fantasies. He noticed that her eyes would sweep across the theatre to acknowledge the audience, but would always end up settled back on him. He'd never thought of himself as a submissive person, in the bedroom or in life, but he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to let Aria dominate him.

" _No escaping when I start_

 _Once I'm in, I own your heart_

 _There's no way to ring the alarm_

 _Hold on until it's over_

 _Oh, do you know what you got into?_

 _Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?_

 _'Cause it's about to get rough for you_

 _I'm here for your entertainment_

 _Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet_

 _You thought an angel swept you off your feet_

 _Well I'm about to turn up the heat_

 _I'm here for your entertainment_ "

He was barely able to focus on the lyrics; all he could see was her beautiful red lips forming the words. ' _Mmmm... I can think of plenty of ways for you to 'entertain' me, Red._ '

" _It's alright, you'll be fine_

 _Baby, I'm in control_

 _Take the pain, take the pleasure_

 _I'm the master of both_

 _Close your eyes, not your mind_

 _Let me into your soul_

 _I'ma work it till you're totally blown_

 _No escaping when I start_

 _Once I'm in, I own your heart_

 _There's no way to ring the alarm_

 _Hold on until it's over_

 _Oh, do you know what you got into?_

 _Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?_

 _'Cause it's about to get rough for you_

 _I'm here for your entertainment_

 _Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet_

 _You thought an angel swept you off your feet_

 _Well I'm about to turn up the heat_

 _I'm here for your entertainment_ "

She made eye contact with him once again, smirk still in place as she bit her bottom lip. Levi had never seen this side of Aria before but he was eager to see it more often. ' _Got a pretty mean little naughty streak, don't you, sweet stuff? I've got half a mind to give you a spanking after this_.'

" _Oooohhh, do you like what you see?_

 _Woooooaaaaahhhhh, let me entertain ya till you screeaaam_

 _Oh, do you know what you got into?_

 _Can you handle what I'm 'bout to do?_

 _'Cause it's about to get rough for you_

 _I'm here for your entertainment_

 _Oh, I bet you thought that I was soft and sweet_

 _You thought an angel swept you off your feet_

 _Well I'm about to turn up the heat_

 _I'm here for your entertainment_ "

"Wow!" Hanji exclaimed as the group finished their performance and the crowd burst into cheers and applause once more. "Where did that come from?! I had no idea Aria had it in her, did you? Levi?" She looked at the seat next to her to see that Levi was no longer there. She smiled and shook her head.

' _You're in for it now, Aria._ '

* * *

The group had only just returned backstage when Aria suddenly felt a pair of arms around her waist and someone nuzzle their head against her neck.

"I assume you enjoyed the show, then?" Aria asked, smirking, turning her head to see a familiar head of raven hair.

"You have no idea," Levi replied, voice slightly muffled.

Bri smiled over at the two from her place on Eld's lap. "I told you the leather was a good idea."

Levi mouthed a quick 'thank you' to Bri before looking back at Aria. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Aria blinked. "You don't want to watch the rest of the show?"

"You know perfectly well that I only came here for you," Levi replied. He brought his mouth closer to Aria's ear, his voice lowering. "Besides, I think it's about time I cashed in that massage you promised."

Aria's cheeks flushed a bright red and she quickly nodded. "Yeah, square deal." She turned back to Bri and Eld. "Tell Jean good luck for me, okay? Thanks, bye."

Eld laughed as Aria proceeded to drag Levi out of the theatre. "Which one's going to crack first, do you think?"

"No clue," Bri answered, leaning back against his chest. "But given the way Levi was eyeing her the entire time we were on stage, he's pretty close to his breaking point."

* * *

Levi wasted no time pulling Aria back into his bedroom once the pair had reached his suite. "You look amazing, Red. You really do. Performed really well, too," he told her as he pulled her against his chest, falling back onto the bed with her.

"Thank you," Aria replied, nuzzling his chest before sitting back up. "Now take off your shirt and lay down on your stomach."

Levi smirked and did as she said. He wasn't sure if it was the leather talking or if she was as turned on as he was, but he hoped this dominant side of her would come out to play more often. His smirk turned into a more relaxed smile as he felt her hands begin to work small circles into his back. She'd neglected to take off her gloves and the contrast between the leather and her fingers was incredible. He frowned when he'd felt her hands leave his back after a few moments and was about to ask her why she'd stopped when he felt her straddle him, her legs on either side of his hips.

"Umm... Aria? What are you doing?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Short people problems, Levi," Aria replied. "I have really short arms, so this is the easiest way for me to reach all of your back. I can get off of you if it bothers you, though."

"I didn't say that," Levi said hurriedly, doing his best to relax as Aria continued. The massage felt amazing but all he could think about was the fact that the girl of his dreams was straddling him wearing extremely tight leather pants.

"So have you heard anything about your callback?" he asked in an attempt to distract himself.

"Not yet, but I should be getting news soon. Rehearsals start in a couple weeks," Aria replied.

"And the character you auditioned for sleeps around a lot, doesn't she?"

"Well, they never come right out and say it, but it's implied."

"Sounds like the exact opposite of you," Levi pointed out.

"That's what I love about acting," Aria said. "I like being able to explore different identities while still being true to who I am. I could play the part of a serial killer and go home at the end of the day knowing that I'm not one. It's hard to explain, but I find it really empowering."

' _So you might be okay with some roleplaying every so often, hmm?_ ' Levi thought, nodding his head to Aria to show her he'd been listening and trying to ignore his growing arousal. So much for a distraction...

He had just started to regain some control over his lower regions when he felt Aria gently running her nails along his back. The hitch in his breathing and the poorly suppressed shiver that ran down his spine were not lost on her.

"You like this, don't you, Levi?" Oh, he could practically hear the smirk in her voice. He wasn't sure where this sudden surge in boldness had come from but, hot damn, he loved it.

"Mmhmm," he grunted out. "Harder."

"Are you suuuuure?" Aria asked teasingly.

"Damn it, yes. I want you to rake those nails over my back until it looks like some kind of twisted tic-tack-toe game," Levi demanded.

Aria licked her lips and proceeded to dig her nails into his back, feeling more and more satisfied with every grunt of approval. After a moment, she leaned down and began trailing kisses over his neck while still clawing at his back. This latest development proved to be too much for Levi and, in one fluid motion, he'd managed to grab her wrist, pull her off of him and onto the bed next to him, and latch his lips onto hers. He could tell she was startled by the development but recovered quickly enough and returned the kiss eagerly, parting her lips to allow his tongue the access it craved. A few seconds later, one of her hands found its way into his hair and one of her legs wound around his waist.

It was all Levi do to keep from flipping on top of Aria and railing her into his mattress right then and there as his tongue danced around hers. He brought one of his hands down to rub up and down her leg and he nearly rolled himself on top of her, only stopping when he realized that this wasn't how she'd want it. Aria had told him before that she wasn't one for casual sex and wanted to be in a relationship with whomever it was she slept with. While he'd wanted nothing more than to ask her to be his for quite some time, he knew this wasn't the right time; they were both far too horny and, with the upcoming show, it was very likely that Aria wouldn't have time for a relationship. No matter how he looked at it, now was not the right time.

Aria blinked, taking a much needed breath of air, as the two pulled back from the kiss. "Is everything okay?"

Levi nodded as the pair unwound from one another. "Yeah. Yeah, everything's fine. I just... I don't think I'm going to be able to hold myself back if we keep going. I don't want either of us to do anything we might regret later, you know? If we do decide to take it that far, we need to be in control, not our libidos."

"I think you're right," Aria agreed. "Still, though, that kiss was incredible!"

"I know, Red, I know," Levi said, pulling her closer to his side and nuzzling her hair. "Can I ask you for a favor?"

"Name it."

"Will you stay here tonight? It's been pretty lonely here without you." Levi said.

Aria nodded. "You know I will." She kissed his cheek. "And thank you for being the responsible one. There's just one problem with my staying here, though."

"What's that?" Levi asked.

"I can't sleep in these," Aria pointed out, motioning to her clothes. "Very stylish, but not made for sleeping."

Levi chuckled. "I guess you have a point there. Hang on a second," he said, standing up and walking over to his dresser. He pulled out a pair of sweats and a green hoodie and tossed them over to Aria. "You can wear those tonight, if you want."

Aria smiled and thanked him before heading into the bathroom to change and take off her makeup. She walked back into his room a few minutes later to find that he had changed as well and curled up next to him on the bed.

Levi pulled Aria into his side again, a sense of possessiveness taking over him at the sight of her wearing his clothes. He couldn't help but find the 'oversized clothes' look absolutely adorable on her. He took a good look at her face, smiling when she let out a small yawn.

"You know, even though you looked absolutely amazing tonight, I think I like this version of you the best," Levi said.

Aria's cheeks flushed a bright red and she promptly hid her face in Levi's chest. Levi chuckled again as he turned off the light, nuzzling against Aria's hair as he settled down for the night. After a moment, he felt her do the same, resting her head on his chest and wrapping an arm around his torso.

"Goodnight, Levi," he heard her whisper.

"Night, Red," he replied, kissing the top of her head.

' _I love you,_ ' they thought in unison as they drifted off to sleep that night.

* * *

 **Ending Notes: Thank you for reading! Once again, feedback is always appreciated!**

 **Geekinthepink, out!**


	13. It Is You (I Have Loved)

**Author's Note: I think we all know by now that I don't own Attack on Titan.**

 **"It Is You (I Have Loved)" belongs to Dana Glover.**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

 _There is something that I see in the way you look at me_

 _There's a smile, there's a truth in your eyes_

 _What an unexpected way, on this unexpected day_

 _Could it mean this is where I belong?_

 _It is you I have loved all along_

"Another night at Levi's, huh?" Hanji observed, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively as Aria and Levi walked through the door. Bri and Petra looked up as well when they heard the pair enter the room. "I see you're wearing his clothes, too."

Aria rolled her eyes. "Nothing happened, so stop insinuating."

"Actually...," Levi chimed in. "Something kind of happened. And I sleep better when I sleep with her anyway."

The living room was dead silent for a moment as Hanji, Bri, and Petra attempted to process Levi's statement. Hanji, of course, was the first to recover. "Wait, wait, wait! What do you mean by 'kind of'?!"

"That's none of your business," Levi replied. "All I'm going to say is that it's incredible what gets accomplished when you don't interrupt."

Once again, Bri and Petra were completely floored by the remark while Hanji squealed and rushed over to Aria and Levi. "What happened?! Oh, you have to tell me! Pleeeeeease, Aria, pleeeeeeease!"

Aria turned back to Levi, ignoring Hanji completely. "So, did you want your hoodie back, by any chance?"

Levi studied Aria for a moment, ignoring Hanji as well. "You look really cute in it, so I guess I can leave it with you."

Aria smiled. "Good, because you weren't getting it back anytime soon. I feel like I'm wrapped in a giant Levi hug right now."

Levi quirked an eyebrow, still ignoring Hanji's flailing and protests as he followed Aria back to her bedroom. "You know you can get hugs from me whenever you want, right?"

"Where are you two going?!" Hanji demanded.

"I have homework to do and Levi's going to chill with me and play Minecraft or something," Aria replied, heading into her room.

"Now get bent," Levi threw in, shutting and locking Aria's door.

"The two of them are really...close, aren't they?" Petra noted.

"That's an understatement," Hanji said as she rejoined her friends on the couch. "Levi's been head over heels for her for a while now and Aria flat-out told us that she loves him. I just wish they'd hurry up and get together."

"Oh, I see...," Petra mumbled, glancing briefly at Aria's door before turning back to Bri and Hanji.

 _There's no more mystery_

 _It is finally clear to me_

 _You're the home my heart searched for so long_

 _And it is you I have loved all along_

Aria had noticed over the next couple of weeks that Petra seemed to be growing distant. She'd stopped having lunch with the group and she didn't seem as responsive when Aria texted her. At first, Aria didn't think too much of it; she simply attributed it to Petra being busy with schoolwork. Aria herself didn't have much time to dwell on it; she ended up getting the part she auditioned for and had been busy with rehearsals in addition to classes.

After a couple weeks of barely seeing or hearing anything from Petra, Aria sent her a text. 'Hey. Do you wanna grab lunch, just me and you? Haven't seen you in a while...'

A few minutes passed before she received a reply. 'Sure. Meet me at the bakery in 15?'

Aria responded with a quick 'You got it' before making her way to the bakery.

Petra joined Aria not long after she arrived and the two sat down to eat. Aria couldn't quite place it but she could tell that something wasn't right. "Is everything okay? You seem a little...off."

"Oh, y-yeah. Everything's good. I've just had some personal stuff to deal with, I guess," Petra replied, though Aria noticed that she seemed hesitant to make eye contact with her.

"Okay... Do you wanna talk about it at all?" Aria asked hesitantly.

Petra studied Aria for a long while, as if debating whether or not to answer her. "Actually, I think we should talk about this," she finally answered. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but it does...sort of...concern you..."

"Me?" Aria blinked. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, no!" Petra exclaimed hurriedly. "You didn't do anything wrong at all!"

"Okay, now I'm just confused," Aria said. "What's going on, Petra?"

 _There were times I ran to hide, afraid to show the other side_

 _Alone in the night without you_

 _But now I know just who you are_

 _And I know you hold my heart_

 _Finally this is where I belong_

 _It is you I have loved all along_

"I'm...not really sure how to start, to be honest," Petra admitted. She was silent for a moment before speaking up again. "Aria, did you and Levi ever talk about past relationships?"

Aria shook her head. "Not really. The only one that ever came up was Chad and that was just because he was a douche canoe. Levi never brought up any of his relationships and I never asked; I just figured it wasn't any of my business."

"Sounds about right," Petra noted. "Well, Levi and I used to date. I asked him out in November of the previous school year and we broke up the following April."

' _Okay. Wasn't expecting that_ ,' Aria thought, her eyes widening in surprise. "Alright. But what happened? Was it a messy breakup or something? And what does any of that have to do with me?"

"Hang on, Aria. I'm getting to that," Petra said. "Levi broke up with me because he didn't love me the way that I loved him. He said it wasn't fair to keep leading me on, so he decided to end things between us. I understood why he did it but it still hurt. I tried my best to stay positive and kept holding on to the hope that, maybe somewhere down the line, he and I would get back together. But I know that's not going to happen, at least not anymore. Not after he's fallen so hard for you."

"W-What are you talking about?" Aria asked, her cheeks flushing a bright red.

"Don't act like you don't notice it, Aria," Petra replied. "He's so much more open and playful around you than he is with anyone else. I've known Levi since we were freshman and he's never acted that way before. I've seen him look at you with so much warmth in his eyes and he looks so...happy whenever you're near him. The happiest I've ever seen him, actually. And then there's the way he openly hugs you; he's never been one for physical contact. Even when we were together, he would either not respond at all or his hugs would be ridiculously stiff. But with you, the gesture looks so natural. That's why I stopped having lunch with everyone; it just got so hard to watch, you know? Seeing somebody you loved fall for someone else is...shitty, really. I couldn't stop myself from wondering what was wrong with me and asking myself why Levi couldn't find that kind of love with me... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous of you too."

It took Aria a long moment before she could think of anything to say. "Petra... I'm so sorry..."

Petra sighed. "I'm not telling you this because I want you to feel bad, Aria; I wanted to be honest with you. You didn't do anything wrong; it's not like you had any idea about our relationship and you can't help who you end up falling for." She gave Aria a small smile as the redhead opened her mouth. "Don't you even try to deny it. I know perfectly well that you love him, too."

Aria smiled back, cheeks still red. "I do..."

"Then go and tell him. Levi's a good guy, Aria. As bad as our breakup may have hurt me, I know he only did it to keep from hurting me even more in the long run," Petra said.

"But... Won't my getting together with Levi just hurt you even more?" Aria asked.

Petra shrugged. "I'll get over it. Listen, I care about Levi and I care about you. And when you care about someone, you want them to be happy even if it means they can't be happy with you. It's not going to be easy but, if I'm really your friend, I'm just going to have to deal with it." She checked the clock on her phone. "Levi gets out of class in the next few minutes, right? If you hurry, you should be able to catch him."

Aria nodded, before standing and giving Petra a quick hug. "Thank you, Petra. Thank you for telling me all this. I can't possibly thank you enough."

"You can do one thing for me," Petra said, hugging Aria back. "You can make Levi happy like I couldn't. And let him make you happy too. You both deserve it."

Aria nodded again, thanked Petra once more, and headed off to find Levi.

 _There's no more mystery_

 _It is finally clear to me_

 _You're the home my heart searched for so long_

 _And it is you I have loved all along_

Levi had just made it outside and barely had enough time to register a familiar head of red hair as Aria barreled into him, latching her arms around his waist.

"Not that I have a problem with the hug but is everything okay, Red?" Levi asked.

"Levi, we have to talk," Aria panted out.

"Wait a second, did you run all the way here?" he asked, taking in Aria's panting and slightly disheveled appearance.

"That's not important!" Aria exclaimed, still hugging onto him.

"Okay, okay. What did you want to talk about?" Levi asked.

"I want to know your side of what happened between you and Petra," Aria said.

Levi stiffened at her words. "How did you find out about that? And what do you mean you want to hear my side?"

"I had lunch with her just a little bit ago," Aria explained. "One thing led to another and she told me that you and she were a thing for a while last year. I got her side of what happened but I'd like to hear yours too. Please, Levi. There's something I need to figure out and I think this will help me do it."

"You're not making any sense. At all. But I'll tell you if it's that important to you," Levi agreed, leading Aria over to a bench and sitting down with her.

 _Over and over, I'm filled with emotions_

 _Your love, it rushes through my veins_

 _And I am filled with the sweetest devotion_

 _As I look into your perfect face_

"It's true. Petra and I dated for a while last year. Most of spring semester, actually," Levi began. "A few months in, she told me she was in love with me. I didn't really know what to say, so I didn't say anything. I _did_ know that I wasn't in love with her, though. I figured that, if I gave myself some time, I might be able to learn to love her. A few more months passed and I never loved her as anything more than just a friend. Honestly, I think I always knew that I never would; I just didn't want to let her down. I knew it wasn't fair to keep leading her on so I ended up breaking things off with her. I told her it wasn't anything personal and that she hadn't done anything wrong, but she still took it pretty hard. It was a no win situation but I chose what I thought was ultimately going to hurt her less."

Aria remained silent as Levi finished, nodding to show she had been listening.

"So that's what happened. Did it help you figure out...whatever it was you needed to figure out?" Levi asked.

Aria nodded again, a small smile on her face.

Levi quirked an eyebrow. "Okay. And since I bared my soul to you here, would you mind telling me what it was you were trying to figure out in the first place?"

Aria's smile widened and grabbed the sides of Levi's head, pulling him down to her level and pressing her lips against his. The kiss was gentle and brief and Levi blinked at her owlishly as she pulled away, a pink hue decorating his cheeks. "Um...alright. That,uh, that didn't really answer my question but that's okay. Did you... Did you, you know, need to know anything else about my life? Because I'll tell you whatever you want."

Aria laughed and shook her head. "No, you've told me everything I need to know. And you've made me feel much better about telling you that I love you."

Levi was silent for a while but Aria noticed his cheeks turning an even darker shade of pink. "Please tell me you don't just mean as friends."

Aria shook her head again, her cheeks reddening as well. "No, I mean for real. I realized it that night I took care of you when you got sick. I love how sweet you are, I love your smile, and I love the fact that you're a total neat freak that curses like a drunken sailor. I love everything about you, Levi."

Levi couldn't stop the smile from overtaking his face as he absorbed what Aria was telling him. He immediately pulled her to him, his arms winding around her waist. "Hang on, Red. If you've been into me for that long, why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Aria sighed. "I was afraid that if you and I ended up getting together, it would just turn out like Chad and I did. But after Petra told me about you two, and hearing your side of it, I don't think I have anything to worry about in that regard. The fact that you're also not a total douchebag helped as well."

Levi gave Aria a deadpan stare and flicked her forehead. "I know you two were together for a while and the breakup really hurt you, so I'm going to go easy on you for even insinuating that I'd be anything like that asshole." He shifted Aria in his arms, pulling her onto his lap.

Aria looked up at him. "You know... You still haven't told me how you feel."

Levi rolled his eyes, the smile never leaving his face. "I figured that was obvious, but if you insist..." He leaned down so that his mouth was next to her ear. "I love you too, Aria."

Aria's eyes widened and she smiled up at him as well. "R-R-Really?!"

"Yes, you moron. I figured it out when I realized how much I hated being away from you over break. Of course, I was into you way before that. A girl that likes _Sweeney Todd_ and plays a mean game of Minecraft and Slender's pretty damn irresistible to me," Levi replied with a smirk. "I'd be lying if I said your voice didn't attract me to you either. Or your eyes; I didn't think I'd ever seen such big, beautiful green eyes."

"Okay, now it's your turn. If you were into me before, how come you never said anything?" Aria asked.

"Umm... Because I was worried that you wouldn't have time for a relationship. Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy you got the part in the play but I just figured...you'd be too busy..." Levi mumbled, looking down at the pavement.

Aria sighed and flicked Levi's forehead, mimicking his gesture from earlier. "That's for insinuating that I wouldn't make time for you. I've been busy before and I still always managed to chill with you, right?"

Levi chuckled, rubbing his forehead. "Yeah, it was a dumb thing to be worried about. I deserved that."

Aria smiled again, resting her head on his shoulder. "So what happens now?"

"I think that's pretty obvious. You're mine now and I'm not letting you go. Not for anything," Levi replied, pressing his lips to Aria's again.

The kiss was much less hungry than the one the two shared after the concert on Valentine's day, but it was no less passionate. Levi gently pushed his tongue against Aria's bottom lip, wrapping his arms around her waist as she granted him access to her mouth. Aria couldn't help but moan softly into the kiss, winding her arms around Levi's shoulders as his tongue danced around hers.

 _There's no more mystery_

 _It is finally clear to me_

 _You're the home my heart searched for so long_

 _And it is you I have loved_

 _It is you I have loved_

Eld and Gunther had been walking back to Recon Hall after class when Gunther noticed the couple on the bench.

"It's about time," he said, nodding over to Aria and Levi when Eld looked at him in confusion.

Eld smiled and cupped his hands around his mouth to call out to the pair. "So, are you guys gonna join us for dinner tonight or are each other's tongues all you're having?"

He and Gunther laughed as Aria and Levi wasted no time in flipping the both of them off without so much as breaking the kiss or opening their eyes.

It was hard to tell who squealed louder: Hanji when Eld and Gunther let it slip about Aria and Levi at dinner or Isabel when she called Levi after seeing his updated relationship status on Facebook later that evening.

 _It is you I have loved all along_


	14. World In My Eyes

**Author's Note: I LIIIIIIIIVVVVVEEEE! I am so sorry for the long wait on this one and I appreciate everyone's patience and sticking with me! This chapter is going to be NSFW. Just a heads up.**

 **"The World In My Eyes" belongs to Depeche Mode.**

 **Happy Reading!**

* * *

 _Let me take you on a trip_

 _Around the world and back_

 _And you won't have to move, you just sit still_

 _Now let your mind to the walking_

 _And let my body do the talking_

 _Let me show you the world in my eyes_

"What are you guys doing for spring break this year?" Hanji asked Aria and Bri, leaning against the wall between their rooms as the two packed to leave school.

Aria shrugged. "Not much, I guess. Allegro's going to be doing shows all week, so I'm going to be home by myself by the looks of it."

"But if Allegro's not going to be in town, how are you going to get to and from school?" Hanji asked.

"I'm lending her my car over break," Bri chimed in. "Eld and I are going to the beach, so I don't need it. And before either one of you say anything...yes. There will be sex. Lots and lots of sex."

"I wasn't going to say anything but thank you for confirming the suspicions I didn't have," Aria threw out.

"I figured it went without saying too," Hanji added. "But I still probably would've made a comment for good measure. However, since Bri beat me to the punch...," She paused and looked over at Aria. "I'll just ask you. Are you and Levi planning to get together over break? It would be the perfect setup; empty apartment for a week, just the two of you..."

Aria smiled, rolling her eyes. "I'd be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind but I'd have to check with Allegro first. I might live there but it's technically his apartment."

"I almost forgot what a dutiful sibling you are," Bri snarked. "What are you going to do if he says no?"

Aria shrugged. "Have Levi over anyway. I'm a dutiful sibling...to a point. What Allegro doesn't know won't hurt him. And the fact of it is that I have needs. Needs that only Levi can satisfy."

"Ugh, I really could've done without the image, Aria," Bri groaned.

 _I'll take you to the highest mountain, to the depths of the deepest sea_

 _And we won't need a map, believe me_

 _Now let my body do the moving_

 _And let my hands do the soothing_

 _Let me show you the world in my eyes_

"But I'm so bored, Allegro," Aria whined a few days later as she talked to her brother over the phone.

"Can't you ask Bri to stay with you or something?" Allegro asked.

"I already told you she went to the beach with Eld," Aria replied. "Why are you so against Levi staying with me?"

Allegro sighed. "I don't have anything against him staying with you. I just know what you two are going to be doing if he does. I get that you're an adult now but you're still my little sister and I was planning on operating under the assumption that you had no idea what sex was until you got married." He paused and took a breath before continuing. "But I'm pretty sure that even if I told you no, you'd just have him over anyway."

"So you're saying he can stay with me?" Aria asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yeah," Allegro agreed. "It makes me feel a little better knowing someone else will be there with you. I don't want to force you to stay alone for your entire break either."

Aria smiled. "Thanks, Allegro."

"Just promise me one thing," Allegro continued.

"What?" Aria asked.

"Promise me that you and Levi will try to limit your...'activities' to your room. I don't need to be eating my Lucky Charms at the counter and wondering if my sister was bent over it."

"I think we can manage that. And thank you," Aria replied, trying to keep the heat out of her face. "Slay at your shows, bro. I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you too, sis," Allegro said before hanging up.

"Well, he took that better than we thought," Levi observed from his spot next to Aria on the couch. "I kind of figured he'd put up more of a fight than that."

"You sound almost disappointed," Aria said, dropping her head onto Levi's lap.

"On the contrary, Red," Levi replied, running his fingers through her hair. "But I am curious; what would you have done if he said no?"

Aria shrugged, closing her eyes. "You're already here. It's not like I would've made you leave."

"Then what was the point of asking him at all?" Levi asked.

"I just wanted to make sure I had all my bases covered," Aria replied simply.

 _That's all there is_

 _Nothing more than you can feel now_

 _That's all there is_

The next day saw Aria and Levi in a similar position as the pair watched _Sweeney Todd_ again.

"Hey Levi?" Aria asked, looking up at him.

"Mmm?" Levi grunted back.

"If you were Sweeney, would I be your Mrs. Lovett?" she asked.

"Tch. Hell no," Levi scoffed. He didn't offer anything more until he caught sight of the confused look on Aria's face. "I figured it would've been obvious to you by now, but you'd be my Lucy." He quirked an eyebrow as her expression changed from confused to ecstatic. "Oh, come on. Do you honestly think I'd have it in me to toss you into an oven?"

"Meh, depends on the day," Aria replied. She laughed, closing her eyes, when Levi opened his mouth to retort, only to close it again and give a half-hearted shrug. When she opened her eyes again, she saw that Levi was looking down at her, a small smile on his face and a warm light in his eyes.

"What is it?" she asked, smiling. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Levi shook his head. "It's nothing. I'm just... I'm really happy I met you."

Aria sat up and gently cupped Levi's cheek. "Yeah, well... Knowing you doesn't suck either."

Levi rolled his eyes. "You can't be serious for more than a couple minutes at a time, can you?"

"I _am_ being serious!" Aria retorted, a pout on her face. "Meeting you has been one of the best things to happen to me so far."

As if to emphasize her point, Aria pulled Levi closer and pressed her lips to his. He responded to the kiss immediately, winding his arms around her waist as her arms made their way around his neck. After a moment, the kiss got more heated and Aria found herself being pulled onto Levi's lap. She tilted her head just a bit, opening her mouth to allow his tongue access. Levi eagerly obliged her, moving his tongue against hers. Aria paused when she felt his hands begin to move underneath her shirt.

"Levi...," Aria muttered breathlessly, pulling back just a bit. "Hang on a sec."

"Please don't tell me you're going to ask me to stop," Levi mumbled, nuzzling his face against her neck.

"No, no, nothing like that," Aria said. "It's just... I promised Allegro that we'd keep...this in my room."

Levi quirked an eyebrow. "If I remember correctly, you told him you'd try."

Aria sighed, climbing off of Levi's lap and pulling him off the couch with her. "Shut up and come on. My bed's more comfortable anyway."

 _Let me put you on a ship_

 _On a long, long trip_

 _Your lips close to my lips_

 _All the islands in the ocean_

 _All the heavens in motion_

 _Let me show you the world in my eyes_

A short frenzy of shed clothing and hickeys later, the pair lay on Aria's bed, Levi kissing and licking at Aria's neck while his hands gently massaged her breasts. Levi rolled on top of Aria a few minutes later, his lips reluctantly leaving her neck and moving down to her breasts as he positioned himself between her legs.

"Do you have any idea how bad I want you right now?" he asked, moving just slightly so that Aria could feel his erection against her leg.

"Mmmm, if it's anywhere near as bad as I want you in me, I think I have a pretty good idea," Aria replied, grinding against him.

Levi grunted and squeezed his eyes shut at the feeling. When he opened them again and glanced down, however, he noticed Aria smirking up at him.

"Getting cocky, are we?" he asked.

"Something like that," Aria retorted.

"Not sure how I feel about that attitude of yours, Red," Levi said, returning her smirk with one of his own.

Aria quirked an eyebrow. "Really now? What do you plan to do about it, Captain?"

Levi's smirk only grew. "I'm so glad you asked," he said, wasting no time flipping her onto her stomach.

Aria barely had enough time to raise her lower body onto her knees before Levi buried himself between her legs. She let out a sharp gasp of his name that quickly turned into a moan as he leaned down to bite at her neck. Sex with Levi was the best sex she'd ever had. He filled and satisfied her so completely and perfectly that she honestly thought their first time had been a dream.

' _Hot damn, this man is perfect,_ ' she thought as Levi continued to ride her.

Levi let out a satisfied grunt at her reaction. He began thrusting in and out of her, gradually picking up speed. He continued to bite her neck in an attempt to keep himself at least somewhat under control, but it was an uphill battle. Aria was growing wetter with each thrust and it was driving him absolutely insane. She was so slick, so tight, so fucking _hot_ and the near-constant moans of his name did absolutely nothing to bring Levi back down to Earth.

As hazy as his senses were, though, he could tell Aria was getting close based on the ever-increasing volume of her moans and her grip on the sheets growing tighter with each passing second. He quickened his pace until he could feel her inner walls beginning to tighten around him before suddenly stopping and pulling out of her altogether.

"Levi? What the fuck?" Aria asked breathlessly, chest heaving as she turned to look at him.

Levi couldn't stop a sense of male satisfaction from bubbling up in his chest at the sight of her: hair disheveled, breathless, and a thin sheen of sweat covering her body. He smirked and leaned down over her so that his mouth was hovering next to her ear.

"Say it," Levi said.

"What?!" Aria asked, clearly irritated that he'd stopped when she was so close.

"Say it," Levi repeated. When Aria remain silent, he bit the shell of her ear. "If you don't say it, I'll leave you here to finish yourself off."

Aria bit her lip, but she couldn't stop a small smile from creeping onto her face. They'd played this game multiple times; one would get the other dangerously close to hitting their peak, suddenly stop, and make the other beg to be finished off. Aria herself had pulled a similar move on Levi not too long ago and she assumed this was probably revenge for it. She knew conceding would only inflate his ego but...

"Fuck me," Aria said quietly, swallowing her pride.

Levi smirked. "What was that?"

"Fuck me," Aria repeated a bit louder.

Levi shook his head. "Sorry. Still didn't catch that."

"Dammit, Levi, fuck me!" Aria exclaimed. "Please just finish me off! Please...," She paused for a moment before looking back over her shoulder at him. "Captain?"

That was all it took. Levi had shoved himself inside of her again before she could register what had happened, riding her as hard as he had been before he'd stopped to play their little game.

It wasn't long before Aria felt that familiar pressure coiling in her lower body. "Levi... Nnngh... Keep going. I'm almost there..."

Levi grunted out an affirmation, feeling himself growing close as well. Finally, he felt Aria's inner walls tighten around him again and heard her scream his name, but he kept moving against her, hoping to use her orgasm as a springboard for his own. Sure enough, he felt himself spill his seed into her as she came down from her high and he let out a groan of her name before slumping down on top of her.

The two of them stayed like that for a moment, breathing heavily, before Levi pulled himself out of Aria, rolled off of her, and tugged her against his chest.

"That was incredible," Aria mumbled, burying her face into his shoulder and tracing patterns into his bare, sculpted chest with her fingertips.

"Mmm," Levi agreed, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, Aria."

"I love you too," Aria replied, a goofy grin spreading across her face. She snuggled closer, wrapping her leg over his lower body as she closed her eyes.

Levi quirked an eyebrow. "What do you think you're doing? We aren't finished here."

"Hmm?" Aria asked, quirking her eyebrow as well.

"I know perfectly well that you can still feel your legs," Levi explained. "That means I haven't done my job. Which means that we aren't done here."

Aria's eyes widened, her smile growing. This was going to be a long night and she was looking forward to every second of it.

 _That's all there is_

 _Nothing more than you can touch now_

 _That's all there is_

 _Let me show you the world in my eyes_

* * *

 **Ending Notes: I feel the need to apologize if the sex bit wasn't really up to par but I did my best. I've never written anything like that before and, being asexual myself, I don't really have much to go on.**

 **I'm afraid I do have a bit of bad news regarding this story, though. I've been running out of steam to write this story. That said, I refuse to abandon any project I start so while I'm not going to be discontinuing the story, updates are going to be a bit sparse.**

 **There is a bit of a silver lining, though: I'm going to be starting a Steven Universe story! I've fallen in love with the show and since new episodes are being released regularly, I've gotten so many ideas! However, I promised myself that I wouldn't start writing it until I got this chapter up. So if you're a fan of SU, please give my story a look if you feel like it!**

 **Thanks for reading! Geekinthepink, out!**


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